New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill on September 4, 2024, that requires retail employers to develop and implement workplace violence prevention training and policies, among other measures. The law becomes effective 180 days after her signature, or March 3, 2025.
This law, referred to as the “Retail Worker Safety Act,” (the “Act”) applies to any person, entity, business, or company that has at least 10 employees working at a retail store. A “retail store” is defined as a store that sells consumer commodities at retail and is not primarily engaged in the sale of food for consumption on the premises. It requires covered employers to adopt a workplace violence prevention policy to be provided to all employees upon hire and annually thereafter. The Act further requires covered employers to implement a workplace violence prevention training program and present it to their employees upon hire and annually thereafter.
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New York Enacts Law Requiring Retail Employers to Implement Workplace Violence Prevention Training and Policies and Provide Panic Buttons
Littler | Sep 2024
Press Release
Text of the measure
Law Articles
Employers will also have to provide information and interactive training to employees on various workplace violence issues. These include “measures that retail employees can use to protect themselves when faced with workplace violence,” such as de-escalation tactics, active shooter drills, emergency procedures, security alarms, panic buttons, and other emergency devices. Employers will have to provide this training to each employee upon hire, and then at least annually thereafter.
New York’s Retail Workplace Violence Prevention Bill Signed Into Law by Governor Hochul
Ogletree | Sep 2024
Notably, the act requires the Department of Labor ("DOL") to create and publish a model retail workplace violence prevention guidance document and retail workplace violence prevention policy.
New York Retail Employers Must Implement Workplace Violence Prevention Policies and Annual Training Starting in March 2025
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What Responsibilities Do Employers Have Under New York State’s Retail Worker Safety Act?
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