On September 4, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Retail Worker Safety Act (the "Act") into law. The Act, which takes effect on March 3, 2025, requires retail employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence. It also requires retail employers with 500 or more retail employees nationwide to install panic buttons by January 1, 2027.

Covered Employers

• The Act applies to "retail employers," which includes any person, entity, business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or association employing at least ten retail employees.
• The Act defines a "retail employee" as an employee working at a retail store for a retail employer.
• The Act defines a "retail store" as a store that sells consumer commodities at retail and is not primarily engaged in selling food for consumption on the premises.

Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

Retail employers are required to adopt a workplace violence prevention policy and distribute it in writing to all employees both annually and upon hire. The New York State Department of Labor (DOL) is responsible for creating and publishing a model retail workplace violence prevention guidance document and policy.

A retail employer can either adopt the model policy or develop its own workplace violence prevention policy, which equals or exceeds the minimum standards provided by the model policy. The workplace violence prevention policy must:

• Outline a list of factors or situations in the workplace that might...

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