Kuster votes for bipartisan legislation to protect health care and social service workers from violence
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) voted in favor of H.R.1195, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act. This legislation would protect health care and social service employees from workplace violence by requiring industry workplaces to adopt proven prevention techniques in coordination with the Department of Labor and be prepared to respond in the event of a violent incident.
“Health care and social service workers in New Hampshire and across the country serve our communities day-in and day-out, and they deserve to work in an environment free of violence,” said Rep. Kuster. “By requiring a higher degree of accountability for employers in the health care and social service sectors, this legislation will help to prevent workplace violence and keep employees safe. I’m proud to vote for this bipartisan bill to promote healthy work environments for our nation’s workforce, and I look forward to coordinating with the Department of Labor to protect employees as we recover and rebuild from this pandemic.”
The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act would:
Address workplace violence: This legislation designates new responsibilities for the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and other sectors, and establish a formal process to address and prevent workplace violence.
Hold employers accountable: The Department of Labor will be obliged to issue an interim occupational safety and health standard that requires employers in the health care, social service, and other sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors to take actions to protect workers from workplace violence.
Standardize safety requirements: This bill requires the Department of Labor to promulgate a standard for health care, social service, and other sector employers within a given timeline.
Throughout her time in Congress, Kuster has advanced the rights and protections of workers in New Hampshire and across the country. Last Congress, the Kuster-backed Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a pregnant worker’s right to reasonable workplace accommodations, provided they do not impose an undue burden on their employer, passed the House. Kuster is also an original co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act in the 117th Congress.