What employers need to know

SB 553 - Workplace Violence Prevention

Since July 1, 2024, California employers* must comply with SB 553 by implementing a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) and conducting annual employee training.

Harassment Prevention Training does NOT fulfill SB 553 requirements. Workplace Violence Prevention requires a separate plan and training.

1. Understand the Law

Knowing what’s required is the first step toward protecting your team and avoiding penalties.

2. Build Your Plan

Your WVPP must be tailored to each physical worksite.

3. Train Your Staff

Training is mandatory and must happen every year.

What Is SB 553? A Quick Summary for Employers

California SB 553 is a law that requires most employers to create a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, involve employees in its development, provide annual training, and maintain detailed incident records.

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If you’re an employer or HR leader, here are the SB 553 requirements and what they mean for you:

A written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) must be created and customized to your physical worksite, and be reviewed and updated annually.
All employees must receive annual workplace violence prevention training.
You must track workplace violence incidents, log threats or acts of violence, and maintain clear documentation.
Employee involvement is required in developing and updating the plan.

Who Needs to Comply With CA SB 553?

SB 553 applies to nearly all California employers.

If you're involved in overseeing employees, setting training requirements, or developing company policies, you play a key role in ensuring your organization meets SB 553 obligations. Even if you already have general safety protocols in place, this law imposes specific requirements that must be followed to address potential workplace violence, including site-specific planning, employee involvement, and annual training.

Exemptions:

Employers already covered by Cal/OSHA's Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care standard;
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation;
Law enforcement agencies;
Employees who telework from a location of the employee's choice, which is outside the control of the employer
Places of employment with fewer than 10 employees working at the place "at any given time" and that are not "accessible to the public."

Responsibility for compliance typically falls to those who manage workplace safety, policies, and people, including:

Human resources leaders
Business owners
Operations managers
Frontline supervisors.

Get Compliant With CalChamber’s Workplace Violence Prevention Solutions

SB 553 compliance from the experts at CalChamber

CalChamber provides clear, practical resources to help you meet California SB 553 requirements, starting with what every employer needs: a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP). From customizable templates and employee training to expert-led consultations, our resources are designed to support you at every stage of compliance.

I Have A WVP Plan

I Need A WVP Plan

Are You Up To Date With/Complying With SB 553?

If you don't have a plan or did not train in 2024, you are out of compliance.

Employers must have implemented a site-specific plan and trained their employees on the plan when the law first took effect in 2024, and they must update their plan and train their employees on the updated plan annually thereafter, to ensure full compliance with both the written plan and the SB 553 training requirements. However, Cal/OSHA is already issuing citations for noncompliance.

Now is the time to take action. If your business hasn’t yet developed a WVPP and provided employee training, you’re working against the clock. Remember, creating a plan and training in 2024 wasn't enough! These obligations are ongoing and must be met annually!

How to Comply with SB 553

Develop a customized Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) and Review/Revise Annually

Create a written WVPP that’s specific to each physical worksite—this cannot be a one-size-fits-all document. It should be customized to each specific location and, its layout, operations, and unique risks. The WVPP must be reviewed annually and updated as needed.

Involve your team in creating and updating the plan

You must include employees in developing, implementing, and reviewing/updating the WVPP. Employee insight is both legally required and essential for identifying real hazards.

Identify, evaluate, and fix workplace violence hazards.

Conduct hazard assessments when starting your plan, on a regular schedule, and after any workplace violence incident. Evaluate each physical space and implement fixes like improved lighting, security cameras, or de‑escalation protocols.

Train employees annually

All staff must be trained:

When you implement your WVPP
Annually thereafter
Any time the plan is updated

Keep a Violent Incident Log

Record every act or threat of violence, including the: date, time, location, what happened, and how it was handled. Violent incident logs must be kept for at least five years and be made available for inspection by employees and Cal/OSHA.

Meet Recordkeeping Requirements

Employers must maintain a record of training and hazard fixes, including:

Hazard assessments and corrections and
Training details (what was taught, when, who presented, who attended) — Training records must be kept for one year; other records for five years.

What Happens If Employers Don’t Comply with SB 553?

Failing to meet the annual SB 553 requirements can expose your organization to serious risks, both legal and operational.

Cal/OSHA Citations and Penalties

Cal/OSHA is actively enforcing SB 553 and may conduct inspections at any time. If your business does not have:

A written and up-to-date Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP)
Proof of employee training
A maintained Violent Incident Log
(among other requirements)

...you may be subject to citations, fines, and corrective action orders.

Increased Legal Liability

Beyond regulatory penalties, noncompliance could leave your organization vulnerable in the event of a workplace violence incident. If an act of violence occurs and you don’t have the proper policies or training in place, your company may face:

Legal claims from employees
Higher risk of lawsuits
Increased scrutiny in workers’ compensation cases

Workplace Impact

Lack of compliance may also impact employee trust, morale, and retention, particularly when staff feel unprotected or uninformed. In high-risk situations, even one unresolved issue can create lasting damage.

Total Workplace Violence Prevention Plan Compliance Solution

Your Complete Bundle for Meeting SB 553 Requirements with Confidence

Whether you're starting from scratch or refining your current plan, this bundle ensures you're covered from every angle.

Bundle Price: $749

(SAVE $248!)

+

On-Demand Employee Training
at $19.99 per employee seat

(Coming Soon)

Bundle includes:

On-Demand Webinar: Revisiting Your Workplace Violence Prevention Program for 2025

Digital Download: Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit

Custom Support: Workplace Violence Prevention Support

Purchase Bundle + Seats

Buy Ala Carte

On-Demand Webinar

Revisiting Your Workplace Violence Prevention Program for 2025

This on-demand webinar provides California employers with practical guidance to help employers with their workplace violence prevention compliance efforts.

Led by CalChamber's employment law experts, the session covers:

Understanding SB 553 requirements and their impact on your organization
Identifying and mitigating workplace violence hazards
Designing a compliant, site-specific training program
Developing effective response and post-incident procedures
store.calchamber.com

Ideal for: HR professionals, legal counsel, business owners, and safety officers, this webinar equips you with the tools to review and enhance your Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) for 2025. Approved for 2.0 HRCI, PDC, and MCLE credits.

Buy $299

Digital Download

Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit

This all-in-one digital toolkit gives you everything you need to create a customized WVPP for your business—without starting from scratch.

Inside, you’ll get:

Workplace Violence Prevention Checklist – so you don’t miss a single step
Model WVPP – a fully editable template you can tailor to your specific worksite
Training Template – to help guide your employee training efforts
Customizable Forms – including sample reporting tools, incident logs, and more

Ideal for: Leaders who need a reliable starting point to create a WVPP. It’s perfect if you’re managing compliance internally and want editable, expert-built resources that save time and reduce guesswork.

Buy $99

Custom Support

Workplace Violence Prevention Support

This premium service gives you direct access to a CalChamber employment law expert for a personalized, hands-on compliance session.

In your consultation, we’ll walk you through:

How to use the Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit effectively
Answers to your plan-specific questions
Best practices to fit your business and workplace environment

Ideal for: Those who need hands-on help using and applying the law to their specific workplace.

Please Note: This service is available only with the purchase of the Workplace Violence Prevention Toolkit and applies to one physical worksite per session.

Buy $599

Online, On-Demand Employee Training

Coming Soon

CalChamber’s new customizable Workplace Violence Prevention Online Training helps you fulfill the annual employee training portion of your WVPP obligations—efficiently and at scale.

You’ll be able to:

Customize the course to reflect the specifics of your own prevention plan
Assign seats to individuals, teams, or departments
Offer flexibility—employees can complete the training on their own schedule
Track completions and maintain required training records

Ideal for: HR teams, department managers, and supervisors who need to efficiently train large or distributed teams without disrupting daily operations.

$19.99 Per Seat

Why Choose CalChamber

CalChamber offers trusted HR compliance expertise, practical guidance, and ready-to-use resources to help California employers comply with SB 553. Our Workplace Violence Prevention solutions gives you the clarity and structure to build a site-specific plan with confidence and train your employees.