Workplace Violence Prevention: Crossroads of OSH and Employment Law

Even while Cal/OSHA was working away on a General Industry Workplace Violence Prevention Rule, on September 30, 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 553 – a sweeping new law addressing Workplace Violence Prevention in virtually all California workplaces. California employers (unless they fall under one of the limited exemptions) will be required by July 1, 2024 to establish, implement, and maintain an “effective” written workplace violence prevention plan, investigate every incident workplace violence (broadly defined), create and maintain violent incident logs, conduct annual employee and supervisor training, and abide by additional recordkeeping requirements. The new law also expands the circumstances and parties who may seek workplace violence restraining orders on behalf of employees and broadens workplace violence restraining orders to also include harassment. Finally, the law requires Cal/OSHA to finalize the Workplace Violence Prevention rule that it has been crafting in short order.

Employers will need to work quickly to understand their new compliance obligations and develop and implement the onerous new requirements. This program will be a deep dive into the background of this new law, the new requirements, the other employment laws implicated by implementing a workplace violence prevention program, what to expect from Cal/OSHA moving forward, and tips and strategies for employers.

Participants will learn:

• The requirements of the Workplace Violence Prevention law
• Landmines awaiting employers as they move into compliance with the new law
• Strategies for developing compliant workplace violence prevention programs
• The intersection between this new Workplace Violence legislation and Cal/OSHA’s ongoing workplace violence rulemaking