Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act

Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act

This bill requires the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and similar sectors.

Specifically, Labor must issue an occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector, in the social service sector, and in sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors. Among other elements, the standard must require each employer to (1) develop a workplace violence prevention plan, (2) promptly investigate incidents of workplace violence, and (3) provide relevant training and education to employees.

The bill requires certain hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to comply with this standard as a condition of Medicare participation.