Legal News

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As of March 3, 2025, the Retail Safety Worker Act will go into effect. This law, which was passed on September 4, 2024, requires retail employees to develop programs intended to prevent violence in the workplace. Additionally, any retailer with 500 or more employees nationwide must install panic buttons on or before January 1, 2027. 

The New York State Department of Labor has been tasked with publishing a model workplace violence prevention policy as part of the new law. 

Retail employers may either adopt the model policy or develop their own so long as it meets the minimum standards of the model policy. 

Employers are tasked with identifying situations in the workplace with a heightened risk of violence, such as working at night or in the early morning, handling money, or working alone or in small shifts. Employers are to come up with reporting and other systems for preventing and handling complaints of workplace violence and making it clear that no employee will be retaliated against for filing a complaint. 

Additionally, employers will be required to conduct workplace violence prevention training. The DOL will also provide a model for such training, which will include topics such as explaining the new law, emergency procedures, and de-escalation tactics. The training must be provided both annually at when an employee is hired, and must be presented in English, or in another language if the employee identifies it as their primary language. 

Outside Legal Counsel LLP can help ensure that retail employers comply with these new requirements and are prepared to do so before the effective date. Reach out to us for a consultation about our services and this process. 

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This is not legal advice and is attorney advertising. 

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