CaliforniaSB 553

California Workplace Violence Prevention Training Online

AWI Training delivers the workplace violence prevention training required under California SB 553 and Labor Code Section 6401.9 for covered employers statewide.

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Cal/OSHA-enforced Annual training WVPP required

Assessment in progress

SB 553

Scenario prompt

It is 6:45 p.m. on a Friday at your retail location. A former employee terminated two weeks ago enters the store before closing, approaches the service counter, and begins yelling at a cashier, demanding to speak with a manager. They refuse to leave when asked and his tone continues to escalate.
What are your first steps?

Situational Awareness86

Prompt Escalation83

Reporting Protocol80

Workplace Intelligence domain · AWI engine

THE REQUIREMENT

California SB 553 at a glance.

SB 553 (2023) extended Cal/OSHA's workplace violence prevention framework to most California employers. Labor Code Section 6401.9 took effect July 1, 2024. Here is what the law requires.

Employer obligationsVerified

Who must complyMost California employers. Exceptions include health care facilities with a Cal/OSHA-compliant violence prevention plan, certain teleworkers, and employers with fewer than 10 employees at the location at any given time where that location is not accessible to the public

Effective dateJuly 1, 2024

Initial trainingWhen the WVPP is first established, and additionally when a new or previously unrecognized hazard is identified or the WVPP changes

Retraining cadenceAt least annually

Plan requiredWorkplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) must be in writing, specific to the workplace, and accessible to employees

Content standardsVerified

Required topicsWVPP contents, hazard identification, reporting procedures, prohibited conduct, emergency response, and post-incident protocols

FormatTraining must be interactive, allowing for employee participation and questions

RecordkeepingViolent incident log and training records must be retained and available to employees on request

LanguageMust be provided in the language(s) spoken by employees

EnforcementCal/OSHA

Source: California Department of Industrial Relations / Cal/OSHA, SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. Requirements verified as of 2025.

WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES

Topics your California workplace violence training must cover.

Under Labor Code Section 6401.9, employee training must address all WVPP elements and equip employees to recognize, avoid, and report workplace violence hazards.

✓

Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP)

Explanation of the employer's WVPP, where employees can access it, how it applies to their specific work location and role, and how to participate in its development and review.

✓

Hazard identification and reporting

How to recognize potential workplace violence hazards and the procedures for reporting them to supervisors or through the employer's designated reporting channels without fear of retaliation.

✓

Prohibited conduct and definitions

California's legal definition of workplace violence, including threats of violence, intimidation, and physical acts, and a description of the types of violence covered under the law.

✓

Prohibition on retaliation

Legal protections for employees who report workplace violence, participate in investigations, or exercise rights under the WVPP without facing adverse action from the employer.

✓

Emergency response procedures

Steps employees should take if violence occurs or appears imminent, including evacuation routes, shelter-in-place protocols, and how to contact emergency services and supervisors.

✓

Post-incident response

Employer obligations and employee rights following a violent incident, including access to medical treatment, confidential support resources, and the incident review process.

✓

Violent incident log

What employers are required to record following incidents, how that information is maintained and used to improve workplace safety, and how employees may request access to the log.

✓

Employee rights under SB 553

Employees' right to request WVPP information, participate in plan development, raise safety concerns to Cal/OSHA, and seek assistance from an employee representative.

AWI Training covers all required SB 553 topics through video training modules and interactive post-module quizzes that satisfy the law's active participation requirement.

AUDIT READINESS

A record your compliance team can actually use.

AWI Training does not just prove training occurred. It assesses each employee to reveal their training needs and how they grow post-training.

Timestamped per-employee record with assessment date

Scored across 12 competencies, not pass/fail

Exportable as PDF for legal holds and audits

Assessment complete

AWI Compliance Record

R. Nakamura · Team Lead · June 1, 2026 SB 553

84Overall

Overall Score All-staff curriculum Training completed

Harassment Prevention

Bystander Intervention

29/33

Reporting Protocol

27/33

Prompt Escalation

28/33

High 25-33

Medium 16-24

Low 1-15

AWI engine scored · (Sample Data and Illustrations)↓ PDF export

PRICING SNAPSHOT

California SB 553 compliance covered at every scale.

AWI Training includes SB 553 workplace violence prevention modules across all plans. Larger organizations get cohort management, multi-location deployment, and dedicated compliance support.

Core

$29.99 /learner

50 learners · 1 admin

✓15 video training modules

✓Pre and Post Assessments

✓100+ behavioral metrics, AWI scoring

✓Tailored learning paths

✓Timestamped per-employee records

Frequently asked questions

Which employers does California SB 553 apply to?
SB 553 applies to most California employers in general industry. Certain employers are exempt, including health care facilities already covered by Cal/OSHA's healthcare violence prevention standard (Title 8, Section 3342), employees who telework from a location of their own choosing that is not under the employer's control, and some small employers with limited exceptions. If you have California-based employees in a general industry setting, SB 553 most likely applies to your organization.
When did SB 553's training requirement take effect?
California SB 553's requirements under Labor Code Section 6401.9 took effect July 1, 2024. Covered employers were required to have a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan in place and provide initial employee training by that date.
What is a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) and is AWI Training part of it?
A Workplace Violence Prevention Plan is a written document, specific to each work location, that identifies how your organization identifies, evaluates, and responds to workplace violence hazards. It must include reporting procedures, response protocols, and a violent incident log. AWI Training covers the WVPP's content requirements through its video training modules and interactive quizzes, ensuring employees understand the plan and how to apply it. The WVPP document itself is an employer responsibility separate from the training.
What makes workplace violence prevention training interactive under California law?
Labor Code Section 6401.9 requires that training allow for employee participation and the opportunity to have questions answered. Passive video viewing without any participation component does not satisfy this standard. AWI Training's modules include interactive quizzes after each video segment, and employees also engage with scenario-based practice through the AWI platform, both of which satisfy the active participation requirement.
How often do employees need to complete SB 553 training?
Labor Code Section 6401.9 requires training when the WVPP is first established, and then at least annually thereafter. Training must also be provided when a new or previously unrecognized hazard is identified, or when the WVPP changes. Many employers additionally train new hires upon onboarding as a best practice consistent with Cal/OSHA’s general IIPP requirements. AWI Training is on-demand and can be assigned at any time.
What records does SB 553 require employers to keep?
SB 553 requires employers to maintain training records for at least one year and violent incident logs for at least five years, both of which must be made available to employees, employee representatives, and Cal/OSHA upon request. AWI Training generates timestamped per-employee records that can be exported as PDF for recordkeeping. Your Cal/OSHA-required violent incident log is a separate employer obligation that AWI does not manage.

ⓘ

This page provides general information about California SB 553 and Labor Code Section 6401.9 workplace violence prevention training requirements. It is not legal advice. Requirements change. Verify current obligations with qualified legal counsel before making compliance decisions. Source data verified against the California Department of Industrial Relations (dir.ca.gov) and Cal/OSHA.

SB 553 Compliance Ready

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