Are Violence Prevention Plans Coming to Massachusetts?

Workplace violence remains a significant concern for employers, particularly in maintaining a safe work environment. Many states have taken legislative action, with some passing laws or considering new regulations in 2025, especially in the healthcare sector, amid rising employee safety concerns.

Several proposed bills, including Massachusetts HD.1856 and Alaska’s SB 49, aim to strengthen workplace violence prevention by requiring risk assessments, violence prevention plans, and employee training. Over the past few years, states such as California, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington have enacted similar measures, particularly for high-risk industries like healthcare and retail.

Key Compliance Requirements in Proposed Bills

Most proposed legislation includes provisions that require employers to:

• Develop workplace violence prevention plans
• Conduct risk assessments
• Provide employee training
• Track and report incidents of workplace violence

Massachusetts Workplace Violence Prevention Legislation

Three categories of employers are the focus of proposed workplace violence prevention bills in Massachusetts:

Human Service Employers (HD.1856)

This bill mandates that human service employers:

• Conduct annual risk assessments to identify potential workplace violence risks
• Develop written violence prevention programs, available to employees and labor organizations
• Designate a senior manager for crisis response
• Provide employee training and incident reporting mechanisms
• Comply with regulations set by the labor commissioner, with penalties for noncompliance
• Ensure non-retaliation protections for employees reporting workplace violence concerns

Healthcare Facilities (HD.3502 & SD.1639)

These bills require healthcare employers to:

• Conduct annual workplace violence risk assessments
• Develop and maintain written violence prevention plans
• Designate a senior manager for crisis response
• Allow employees paid leave if they are victims of workplace violence and need legal or victim assistance
• Report workplace violence incidents annually
• Facilitate data sharing and collaboration with public safety entities

Home Healthcare Workers (HD.2124 & SD.1307)

These bills would require home healthcare employers to:

• Provide annual workplace safety training
• Conduct risk assessments of service settings
• Equip workers with communication devices featuring alarms
• Allow workers to refuse assignments in unsafe conditions without penalty
• Designate a senior manager to support crisis response efforts
• Submit biannual reports on workplace violence incidents
• Provide up to seven days of paid leave for victims seeking legal or victim assistance

Legislation Beyond Massachusetts

Similar workplace violence prevention bills are under consideration in Alaska, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

At CIP Group, our HR Services team is available to support clients in understanding and complying with these evolving regulations. If you have questions or need assistance, contact us at HR@askcip.com or 857-829-3330.