California Workplace Violence Prevention Addendum (SB 553)

This addendum establishes California-specific workplace violence prevention requirements for employees working in California, in accordance with California Labor Code § 6401.9 and related Cal/OSHA requirements effective July 1, 2024. The purpose of this addendum is to reduce the risk of workplace violence, define reporting and response procedures, require training and documentation, and ensure timely corrective action.

This addendum supplements the organization’s broader safety, conduct, and incident reporting policies. If there is a conflict, the more protective requirement for employee safety applies, subject to applicable law.

This addendum applies to all employees, supervisors, managers, temporary workers, and contractors performing work in California or at a California worksite.

California employees: This addendum applies to all covered California worksites and work activities, including remote or field-based work when workplace violence risks arise in connection with work.

This addendum does not replace any obligations under the OSHA general duty clause, EEOC anti-discrimination rules, NLRA Section 7 rights, FLSA wage and hour requirements, or any other applicable federal, state, or local law.

For purposes of this addendum:

• Workplace violence includes threats, attempted violence, physical assault, stalking, intimidation, and other conduct that could reasonably be expected to cause harm.
• Threat means any verbal, written, electronic, or behavioral communication indicating an intent to cause harm.
• Violent incident log means the employer’s confidential record of workplace violence incidents and related corrective actions.
• Reasonable accommodation means a change to the work environment or job duties, when required by law, through an interactive process.
• Essential function means the fundamental duties of a position that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Good-faith means honest, timely, and cooperative participation in reporting, investigation, and corrective action steps.

The organization prohibits workplace violence, threats of violence, intimidation, retaliation, and any conduct that creates an unsafe work environment.

The policy holder must maintain a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) for California worksites that includes:

1. Procedures for identifying, evaluating, and correcting workplace violence hazards.
2. A process for employee reporting of violent incidents, threats, concerns, and hazards.
3. Procedures for investigating incidents and implementing corrective action.
4. Employee training on workplace violence prevention and reporting.
5. Maintenance of a confidential violent incident log.
6. Procedures for emergency response and post-incident follow-up.

Employees are expected to cooperate in good-faith with reporting, investigations, and safety measures.

1) Hazard identification and prevention

• Conduct periodic workplace violence hazard assessments for California worksites.
• Review physical layout, access controls, visitor management, lighting, cash-handling areas, isolated work areas, and prior incidents.
• Document identified hazards and assign corrective actions with owners and due dates.

2) Reporting process

• Employees must promptly report threats, violent behavior, suspicious conduct, or safety concerns to a supervisor, HR, security, or the designated policy holder.
• Reports may be made verbally or in writing, and anonymous reporting channels should be made available where feasible.
• Supervisors must escalate credible threats immediately.

3) Incident response

• If there is an immediate danger, call emergency services and follow site emergency procedures.
• Separate involved parties when safe, preserve evidence, and notify HR/security.
• Conduct a documented review of the incident and determine corrective actions.

4) Violent incident log

• The policy holder must maintain a confidential violent incident log for qualifying incidents.
• Each entry should include date, time, location, description of the incident, type of violence or threat, involved persons, and corrective actions taken.
• Access to the log must be limited to authorized personnel and retained according to applicable recordkeeping requirements.

5) Training

• California employees and supervisors must receive workplace violence prevention training at hire and at least annually thereafter, and when material changes occur.
• Training should cover reporting channels, warning signs, emergency response, anti-retaliation, and employee responsibilities.
• Training completion must be documented.

6) Cal/OSHA reporting

• The policy holder must evaluate whether an incident requires reporting to Cal/OSHA or other authorities under applicable law.
• Required reports must be made promptly and documented.
• Preserve records related to the incident, investigation, and corrective action.

Policy holder

• Maintain and update the WVPP and this addendum.
• Ensure training, incident logging, and reporting procedures are implemented.
• Coordinate investigations and corrective actions.

Managers and supervisors

• Model safe behavior and enforce reporting expectations.
• Escalate threats or incidents immediately.
• Support investigations and corrective action implementation.

Employees

• Report threats, violence, and hazards promptly.
• Cooperate in good-faith with investigations and training.
• Follow emergency and security procedures.

HR / Compliance

• Maintain records, training documentation, and the violent incident log.
• Support the interactive process when safety concerns intersect with accommodation requests.
• Monitor legal updates affecting California worksites.

Violations of this addendum, including failure to report incidents, falsification of records, retaliation, or refusal to cooperate in a good-faith investigation, may result in corrective action up to and including termination, subject to applicable law.

Discipline will be applied consistently and without discrimination. Nothing in this addendum limits rights protected by NLRA Section 7, EEOC laws, or other applicable whistleblower protections.

Where an employee requests a safety-related change due to a medical condition or disability, the organization will engage in the interactive process to determine whether a reasonable accommodation is available without eliminating an essential function or creating an undue hardship.

California-specific requirements apply to covered worksites and employees as required by law. If a local rule, client requirement, or site-specific security protocol is more protective than this addendum, the more protective requirement should be followed unless prohibited by law.

Any exception to this addendum must be approved in writing by the policy holder and HR/Compliance, and may not reduce required legal protections, training, reporting, or recordkeeping obligations.

This addendum must be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a material change in operations, incident trends, or California law, including updates to SB 553 or Cal/OSHA guidance.

The policy holder is responsible for updating the WVPP, incident log process, training content, and reporting workflow as needed. Revisions must be documented with a new version number and communicated to affected California employees.