As a reminder, the New York Retail Worker Safety Act, which will impose significant workplace violence prevention requirements on retail employers will take effect on June 2, 2025. 

Under the new law, covered employers will be required to (1) implement a written retail workplace violence prevention policy, (2) conduct workplace violence prevention training, and (3) provide written notice to employees. In addition, on January 1, 2027, covered employers with 500 or more retail employees in the state of New York will be required to provide their retail employees with access to an emergency “silent response button” at the workplace.

Written Retail Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

Retail employers with ten or more retail employees will be required to adopt a workplace violence prevention plan which must include:

  (1) a list of factors or situations that may place retail employees at risk of workplace violence;

  (2) methods to prevent incidents of workplace violence;

  (3) information on legal provisions regarding violence against retail employees and remedies for victims; and

  (4) an anti-retaliation statement.

The New York State Department of Labor (“NYSDOL”) will be publishing a model workplace violence prevention policy.  Once released, every New York retail employer will be required to either adopt the NYSDOL model policy or establish a similar policy that equals or exceeds the NYSDOL’s model policy.

Interactive Training

Retail employers with 10 or more retail employees must also provide the interactive training to employees.  The training must include:

• information on the requirements of the new law;
• examples of measures retail employees can use to protect themselves when faced with workplace violence from customers or other coworkers;
• de-escalation tactics;
• active shooter drills;
• emergency procedures; and
• instruction on the use of security alarms, panic buttons, and other related emergency devices.

The NYSDOL will create a model workplace violence prevention training program that can be utilized or employers can provide one of their own that is equivalent to the State-provided training (the model training has not been released yet).  Retail employers must provide the training to all retail employees upon hiring and annually thereafter.

Retail employers with fewer than fifty retail employees are required to provide workplace violence prevention training just once every two years, instead of annually, after the initial training for new hires.

Notice Requirements

All covered employers must provide retail employees with the written notice of their retail workplace violence prevention policy, both in English and in the language identified by each employee as their primary language. Employers must provide these written notices to covered employees upon hire and at each annual or bi-annual training.

Silent Response Buttons

Further, the new law mandates that employers with 500 or more retail employees statewide will need to provide a “silent response button” that allows employees to request immediate assistance from a security officer, manager, or supervisor while the employee is on duty.  The response button can either be installed in the workplace or be provided to employees as a wearable device or employer-provided mobile phone. This requirement will become effective January 1, 2027.

Conclusion

Retail employers that are covered by the law should prepare a policy and training plan to ensure compliance with the New York Retail Worker Safety Act or adopt the model policy/training plan once released by the NYSDOL.  We will monitor updates on the new law and advise further when the model policy, training and/or additional guidance is available.  Should you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Ali Law Group.