[Webinar] Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies and an Overview of the Ever-Growing Legal Landscape

Join Rachel L. Conn, Rachel L. Graeber, and Scott Hecker on Tuesday, September 15th, 2026, at 1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT, for a webinar titled “Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies and an Overview of the Ever-Growing Legal Landscape”.

Workplace violence has been a focus for both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Workplace violence has been a focus for both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) for several years, as it continues to be one of the leading causes of occupational injuries in the country. While OSHA has no specific standard for workplace violence, the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards, and OSHA has instituted enforcement actions under its General Duty Clause after incidents of workplace violence. OSHA has also initiated a rulemaking to address workplace violence in specific industries.

California has taken the lead in implementing the first workplace violence rule in the country for general industry, requiring nearly all California employers (unless they fall under one of the limited exemptions) to establish, implement, and maintain an “effective” written workplace violence prevention plan, investigate every workplace violence incident (broadly defined), create and maintain violent incident logs, conduct annual employee and supervisor training, and abide by additional recordkeeping requirements. Numerous state laws also govern workplace violence in specific industries, such as retail, hospitality, and healthcare. Most recently, New York implemented the New York Retail Worker Safety Act, which likely reflects the start of a trend in workplace violence prevention laws nationwide.

Additionally, the EEOC continues to prioritize the prevention of workplace harassment and other forms of discriminatory intimidation that can contribute to unsafe work environments. However, the legal landscape has shifted significantly following the nationwide vacatur of portions of the EEOC’s 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace in Texas v. EEOC and the Commission’s subsequent January 2026 vote to rescind the guidance in its entirety. Although the rescission does not alter employers’ obligations under Title VII or other applicable federal, state, and local laws, employers must now look to existing statutes, court decisions, and state-specific requirements when addressing workplace harassment and related workplace violence concerns.

Beyond OSHA, state workplace violence laws, and EEOC enforcement, employers may also face liability through common-law claims such as negligent hiring, retention, supervision, and failure to provide a reasonably safe workplace. The EEOC confirmed that rescinding the guidance did not change federal anti-harassment laws or the agency’s commitment to enforcing them.

Participants in this webinar will learn: