Rep. Delgado Amendment to Ease Compliance for Businesses, Protect Employees Passes House

Press Release

Today, U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado (NY-19) successfully amended H.R. 1309, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, bipartisan legislation to address workplace violence in health care and social services sectors. In response to alarming rates of workplace violence experienced by nurses, physicians, emergency responders, medical assistants, and social workers, this legislation requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to set standards for employers in these sectors to develop and implement comprehensive plans to prevent such violence. The Congressman's amendment strengthens H.R. 1309 by prioritizing technical assistance for employers to make it easier for businesses to comply with the legislation.

"I'm proud to represent thousands of small businesses and self-employed owners and will always keep them in mind as we consider workplace protection legislation," said Rep. Delgado. "My amendment, which prioritizes technical assistance, will make it easier for our businesses and employers to protect their employees. Especially during COVID-19, we must do more to ensure our nation's caregivers are safe at work."

The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act:

Provides health and social service workers the protection they deserve by requiring employers within the health care and social service sectors to develop and implement comprehensive violence prevention programs to prevent or mitigate violent incidents in the workplace using proven prevention techniques tailored to the risks in a given workplace.
Requires employers, in developing their workplace violence prevention programs, to identify risks, specify solutions, and require training, reporting, and incident investigations.
Provides protections to workers from retaliation for reporting violent incidents in the workplace.
Protects health care and social service workers in the public sector in the 24 states not covered by OSHA.

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