A sweeping new workplace safety law aimed at reducing violence in retail settings takes effect across New York State on June 4. The Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA), championed by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), introduces a range of mandatory safety protocols for employers, including violence prevention planning, employee training and emergency alert systems.
Under the law, retail businesses with 10 or more employees must implement written workplace violence prevention plans, conduct regular risk assessments, and provide biennial training on de-escalation and active shooter response. Retailers with 500 or more workers statewide are also required to install silent panic buttons throughout their stores by January 1, 2027, allowing staff to discreetly alert security during emergencies.
“Retail workers — and shoppers — across New York will be safer because of this law,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum, in a statement announcing the law’s implementation. “Retail workers should not have to go to work every day in fear; and this law goes a long way towards ending that.”
According to RWDSU, the legislation was driven by concerns raised in a recent union survey, which found that more than 80% of retail workers fear active shooter incidents, nearly two-thirds have experienced verbal harassment or intimidation on the job, and only 7% said their employers made safety improvements following violent incidents.
The union’s announcement also included statements from frontline workers. “As a produce manager, I've witnessed firsthand the escalating tensions in retail environments,” said Edwin Quezada, who works at a Stop & Shop in Long Island and is a member of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW. “This Act ensures we have the training and tools to handle volatile situations.”
Nancy Almodovar, a salesperson at a department store in Manhattan, said the law represents a turning point. “Every day I came to work with a pit in my stomach,” she said. “We’ve been ignored for too long by our employers, but this law finally says: our safety matters.”
The RWDSU expressed its appreciation to Governor Kathy Hochul for signing the measure into law, as well as to bill sponsors Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Karines Reyes. The union says it will continue working with labor advocates, government officials, and employers to support implementation of the law across the state.
