Tennager student with fear at his school (selective focus with shallow DOF)

Workplace Violence Prevention

Workplace violence encompasses any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. This can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. It can impact and involve employees, clients, customers, and visitors.

Stay informed with SHRM’s latest news and resources on recognizing and mitigating these risks.

Latest News

New York City skyline, including the Freedom Tower
News
NYC Nixes Agreements that Shorten Time to File Discrimination, Violence Claims

New York City now prohibits employers from entering into any type of agreement that shortens the statutory period by which an employee may file a complaint relating to unlawful discriminatory practices under the New York City Human Rights Law.

Someone pulling a gun out from the glove compartment of a car
News
Cal/OSHA Issues Model Plan for Complying with Workplace Violence Prevention Law

Cal/OSHA has published a Model Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, which employers are not required to use but may adopt as a template.

Court Report
‘Tort’ Claim Over Active Shooter Drill Fails

Workers’ compensation barred a so-called tort claim over an active shooter drill, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled.

Member Resources

Express Requests
Texas Mandates Violence Prevention Plans for Healthcare Settings (9/1/24)

The state of Texas that has developed a workplace violence prevention standard for healthcare settings.

Toolkit
Understanding Workplace Violence Prevention and Response

This toolkit provides information for employers on preparing for and responding to workplace violence incidents.

Q&A
How should an employer respond when an employee makes suicidal statements?

Suicide threats should always be taken seriously. The human resource professional or the employee's supervisor may be the first person to identify a potentially suicidal employee, so it is critical to recognize the warning signs and encourage at-risk e...

Q&A
Violence: Order of Protection: How do we handle a situation when a married couple who works together have filed for divorce and one spouse has an order of protection against the other spouse?

This Q&A discusses protection orders in the workplace.

Q&A
Can an employer prohibit employees from having guns in their cars while at work?

Learn when an employer can enforce a company policy or rule that requires employees to not have guns in their cars while the cars are parked at work.

Q&A
How do we help an employee we suspect is the victim of domestic violence?

Victims of domestic violence often don't tell their supervisors or HR professionals that they are being abused out of fear or shame. If abuse is suspected, watch for these warning signs.

Filters