Workplace violence accounted for 18% of all violent crimes in the United States with a Federal source reporting 17% of workplace homicides against women were attributable to intimate partner violence (IPV). The purpose of this study was to provide insight into how the workplace either facilitates or hampers women in dealing with IPV. An ethnographic approach was used to uncover the stories of women who worked while experiencing IPV. A theoretical model was developed to facilitate understanding of the precarious balance between home and work environments that was necessarily maintained by women experiencing IPV. Formerly abused women (N=11) were recruited through advertisements and were asked questions regarding the severity of abuse, their personal challenges with sustaining employment while involved in IPV, and how the workplace impacted their ability to sustain employment. This study was a departure from previous studies in that women were specifically asked about their work experiences while in an abusive relationship. Three major themes were identified from the data: (1) the Value of Work, had two subcategories: financial stability and breathing room; (2) the Struggle of Abuse, had three subcategories: shame, difficulty concentrating, and lies, and (3) the Environment of Work, had five subcategories: fear of intrusion, hiding and covering up the truth, job loss, and availability of resources. The results were revealing about the extensiveness of the abuse, the value women attributed to being employed, and in most cases, the lack of resources and the non-supportive atmosphere of the workplace. The results from this study also reveal the pressing need to support and protect victims of IPV. The occupational health nurse is perfectly positioned for the employer, the employee, professional colleagues and the nursing profession as an advocate for written policies, and increasing awareness and gain competencies in identifying the signs of IPV.