Workplace Violence Prevention Bill Gathers Allies in California

California lawmakers are advancing legislation that could require employers to create workplace violence prevention plans and keep logs of violent incidents amid concerns about shoplifting and gun violence.

The bill (S.B. 553) would also allow labor unions to seek restraining orders on behalf of workers against anyone who has harmed or threatened to harm them.

The measure would go further than rules state regulators have been crafting over the last six years. Business groups have argued the legislation would be difficult for many employers to implement, along with imposing additional cost burdens. But labor unions representing retail and ...