On September 30, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 553 into law, creating a new layer to California employers’ existing injury and illness prevention programs (IIPP). Under SB 553, employers are required to implement a workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP) no later than July 1, 2024, to provide training to employees regarding the WVPP and to keep records of workplace violence incidents. As of January 1, 2025, the law also expands employers’ and employee representatives’ rights to obtain restraining orders on behalf of employees affected by threats of workplace violence.

Access special report.

Megan A. Lee also contributed to this article.