SB 553: Every California Employer Needs a WVPP — Is Yours Done?

Effective July 1, 2024, California Labor Code § 6401.9 — SB 553 — requires every California employer (yes, even with 1 employee) to have a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP).

This is not optional. Cal/OSHA is actively enforcing it.

What the Law Requires

Your WVPP must be written, specific to your workplace, and include all of the following:

1. Responsible Person(s)

Name the individual(s) responsible for implementing and maintaining the plan. Generic titles like "HR" are not sufficient — use actual names or specific roles.

2. Hazard Identification Methods

How will you identify workplace violence hazards? Your plan must describe your process for:

• Reviewing workplace violence incidents and near-misses
• Employee input and reporting mechanisms
• Inspection procedures for high-risk areas

3. Employee Reporting System

A process for employees to report workplace violence concerns without fear of retaliation. Must be described in the plan.

4. Response Procedures

What happens when violence occurs or is threatened? Your plan must include:

• Immediate response steps
• How employees summon help
• Post-incident procedures

5. Training

All employees must receive training on the WVPP:

• At initial hire
• When the plan is first established
• When new hazards are introduced
• When deficiencies are observed

6. Violent Incident Log

You must maintain a Violent Incident Log for every workplace violence incident — including threats, physical attacks, and near-misses. This log must be kept for 5 years and is subject to Cal/OSHA inspection.

The log must exclude any information that could identify victims (Lab. Code § 6401.9(d)(3)).

Cal/OSHA Penalties

Failure to have a written WVPP or to maintain the violent incident log:

| Violation Type | Penalty | |---|---| | General violation | Up to $15,625 per violation | | Serious violation | Up to $25,000 per violation | | Willful or repeated | Up to $156,259 per violation |

Cal/OSHA can inspect your workplace without advance notice. A missing WVPP is an immediate citation.

What "Workplace Specific" Actually Means

Generic templates downloaded from the internet are not sufficient. Your WVPP must:

• Name your actual hazards (customer interactions, isolated work, cash handling, animal handling, etc.)
• Reference your actual physical locations
• Name your actual responsible parties
• Be reviewed and updated annually, or after any incident

What to Do

1. If you don't have a WVPP — you need one now. Contact us or download our WVPP toolkit ($199).
2. If you have a generic template — it needs to be customized to your workplace.
3. If you have a customized WVPP — verify it has a Violent Incident Log attached and that your team has been trained.

We can help. Book a free 30-minute compliance review.