Effective July 1, 2024, nearly every California employer will be required to implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan with very specific requirements.

Quick Hits

• Effective July 1, 2024, Senate Bill (SB) No. 553 will require virtually every California employer to implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan.
• The new law does not have an implementation grace period.
• The new law applies to most California employers and employees, except corrections facilities, law enforcement agencies, teleworkers, places of employment where there are fewer than ten employees working at a place that is not accessible to the public, and healthcare facilities.

By July 1, 2024, California employers that are required to comply with SB 553 must implement their workplace violence prevention plans, assess and resolve workplace violence hazards, train all employees, and implement investigation and recordkeeping processes. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has issued a fact sheet, but since March 2024 there has been no updated guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Cal/OSHA’s workplace violence prevention resources web page.