California State Senator Dave Cortese (D-15) announced amendments to Senate Bill (SB) No. 553 on August 28, 2023. This bill, which gained approval from the California State Assembly’s Appropriations Committee on September 1, aims to enforce comprehensive workplace violence prevention plans across virtually all employers in California.
These changes would come into effect starting July 1, 2024. Notably, the previous drafts of SB 553 were largely aligned with Cal/OSHA’s regulations on workplace violence, which were initially applicable solely to healthcare environments. However, the new changes to the California workplace violence bill are more in tune with Cal/OSHA’s draft regulations on workplace violence prevention, commonly referred to as the Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry Draft.
The latest amendments stipulate that SB 553 will remain active until December 31, 2026, following which Cal/OSHA would roll out its own standard on the matter, superseding SB 553’s requirements. The fundamental goal remains the same: to ensure employers:
- Devise an all-encompassing written prevention plan tailored to specific work areas.
- Facilitate a transparent system for employees to report workplace violence and ensure compliance.
- Continually assess and improve the prevention plan.
- Maintain detailed logs of every violent workplace incident.
- Train employees on the nuances of workplace violence prevention.
Having passed the Appropriations Committee, SB 553 now awaits final nod from the Assembly and Senate.
If you have encountered any form of workplace injustices such as unfair treatment, discrimination, or violation of your rights as an employee, do not hesitate to reach out to the Labor Law Advocates in California. With our extensive expertise and experience in labor law, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support and guidance to ensure that your rights are upheld and protected in the workplace.
Don’t let injustice go unchecked – contact the Labor Law Advocates to discover the proper legal recourse available to you and find a path towards resolution.
