California Workplace & Employment Law Blog

I recently assisted a client in responding to a serious workplace violence incident involving a threat with a firearm made against an employee. Situations like this are among the most stressful an employer can face. They require not only immediate action to protect employees but also careful compliance with California’s Workplace Violence Prevention law.

Here are key steps that employers should take when faced with workplace violence, drawn from my recent experience and prior cases I have handled.

California’s new workplace violence prevention standards took effect on July 1, 2024.

As a result, California employers have a number of new legal obligations, including developing and implementing a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan; training employees on the Plan; identifying, evaluating and correcting workplace violence hazards; and various recordkeeping requirements.