Reminder for Employers to Review and Update Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and Provide Annual Training

As summarized in prior legal updates (November 2024 and June 2025) since July 1, 2024, California has required most employers to establish, implement, and maintain an effective Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, and to provide training when the plan is first established and annually thereafter. Additional training must be provided when a new or previously unrecognized workplace violence hazard has been identified and when changes are made to the plan; however, in these instances, the additional training may be limited to addressing the new workplace violence hazard or changes to the plan.

Following passage of Senate Bill 553, which established these requirements, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) developed a Model Workplace Violence Prevention Plan for General Industry (Non-Health Care Settings). Employers may utilize that document or create their own so long as it complies with the California Labor Code section 6401.9. Employers should review and, as appropriate, update this plan to ensure it is consistent with their current workplace(s) and potential hazards. E=Employers must also provide annual training to employees regarding their plan.

As California approaches the two-year anniversary of when these obligations first went into effect, it is time for employers to reassess their plan and provide annual training.

More information regarding Workplace Violence Prevention Plan compliance and training obligations is located here and here. Cal/OSHA developed draft workplace violence prevention standards, which the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) must review and adopt no later than December 31, 2026. The standards will include, at a minimum, employer obligations to comply with these and any additional requirements Cal/OSHA deems necessary and appropriate to protect the health and safety of employees.

This legal update and any use of its information does not create an attorney-client relationship. Nothing contained on this website should be considered legal advice for any specific employer or employment situation. Consult legal counsel before taking any action as a result of information contained herein.