House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prevent Workplace Violence Against Health Care and Social Service Workers

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by U.S. Representative Angie Craig which would require employers in the health care and social services industries to develop and implement workplace violence prevention plans to protect nurses, physicians, social workers, emergency responders and others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in those industries are nearly five times as likely to suffer a serious workplace violence injury than other American workers.

This morning, Craig spoke on the House floor in support of the legislation, reminding her colleagues of the deadly shooting at an Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo, Minnesota, that reportedly targeted health care and social service workers. Craig urged her fellow Representatives to support the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, which would protect the frontline health care workers who have risked their lives to protect public health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is our responsibility to step forward and help protect our workers," said Representative Craig. "It is beyond the pale to put our heads in the sand as Members of Congress and say there's nothing that we can do. What the hell are we doing here if we do that?"

Video of Representative Craig's remarks is available here.

The bill, which was introduced earlier this year, passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. Specifically, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act would:

• Compel OSHA to issue an interim final standard in one year and a final standard within 42 months requiring employers within the health care and social services sector to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan
• Identify risks, specify solutions and require training, reporting and incident investigations
• Provide protections from retaliation for workers reporting violent incidents.
• Protect health care and social service workers in the public sector in the 24 states not already covered by OSHA protections