Bill Overview
Title: Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and other sectors. Specifically, Labor must issue an interim occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector, in the social service sector, and in sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors. In addition, Labor must promulgate a final standard within a specified time line.
Sponsors: Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Target Audience
Population: Healthcare and social service workers
Estimated Size: 25000000
- The bill mandates workplace violence prevention measures for the health care and social service sectors, directly impacting employees within these sectors.
- Health care workers, which include doctors, nurses, administrative support, and other medical staff, are primary beneficiaries as they are frequently exposed to potential workplace violence.
- Social service workers, including social workers, counselors, and support staff who deal with high-risk populations, are also primary beneficiaries.
- Any sector conducting activities similar to health care and social service activities will be impacted and will need to implement protective measures against workplace violence.
- Globally, the health care sector employs a large number of personnel, and similar observations apply to the social service sector.
Reasoning
- The policy directly impacts workers in the health care and social service sectors, which make up a significant portion of the workforce in these industries. By ensuring workplace violence prevention measures, the policy is expected to improve safety and, in turn, the wellbeing of the workers.
- The budget constraints mean that not all workplaces can be covered simultaneously, leading to phased implementations and potential variance in the immediate impact on wellbeing across different settings.
- Healthcare and social service sectors are generally high-stress environments, and any measure that enhances safety is likely to have a noticeable effect on overall wellbeing.
- The policy may have indirect benefits on workplace culture, making these careers more attractive, though the direct impact will be more felt in reduced stress and fear from potential workplace violence.
Simulated Interviews
Registered Nurse (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often feel unsafe at work due to aggressive patients.
- This policy could make my workplace safer and reduce stress.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Social Worker (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I face unsafe situations frequently.
- The policy should help implement better security measures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Medical Receptionist (Boston, MA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Sometimes patients are agitated, which is stressful.
- I'm hopeful this policy will make my role safer.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Physician (Dallas, TX)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While I'm used to the environment, reducing violence is crucial.
- This policy could enhance job satisfaction and retention.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Hospital Administrator (Seattle, WA)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's important to have policies that help prevent workplace violence.
- This policy will help us structure better safety protocols.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Home Health Aide (Miami, FL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've had experiences where I felt unsafe in clients' homes.
- The policy may provide better support and resources for our safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Emergency Medical Technician (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We often enter tense situations.
- More preventive measures will be beneficial for our safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Mental Health Counselor (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 57 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy sounds helpful to protect us in volatile situations.
- We definitely need these safety measures in place.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Nurse Practitioner (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Community health can be unpredictable.
- Greater security measures would be greatly appreciated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Security Officer in Hospital (Houston, TX)
Age: 46 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We definitely need more support to handle violence effectively.
- This policy could enhance our protocols and response times.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $400000000 (Low: $350000000, High: $450000000)
Year 3: $350000000 (Low: $300000000, High: $400000000)
Year 5: $300000000 (Low: $250000000, High: $350000000)
Year 10: $200000000 (Low: $150000000, High: $250000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Key Considerations
- The compliance costs for small businesses versus large corporations may differ significantly and might require separate analysis.
- The effect on public perception and worker morale is qualitative and can indirectly influence economic factors.
- Long-term savings could offset initial implementation and compliance costs, though this may vary across sectors.
- Unforeseen adjustments to the regulation might impact future cost estimates.