A bill intended to increase retail worker safety and prevent workplace violence, which was heartily opposed by a major retailer earlier this year, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul Wednesday.
The Retail Worker Safety Act would require the adoption of a violence prevention plan, workers to be trained in de-escalation and the installation of panic buttons throughout corporate retail stores. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), who spearheaded the act, touted its passage Wednesday.
"From West Hempstead to Buffalo, union workers have suffered grave losses to senseless store shootings," RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum said in a written statement. "Retail workers should not go to work every day in fear, this law goes a long way toward ending that."
Here's what to know.
What does the newly passed NY retail safety law require?
In a certain section of the act, access to panic buttons in New York locations of retail stores with 500 or more employees nationwide is required.
The panic button would either be a physical button installed throughout the workplace or a wearable or mobile phone-based button installed on employee equipment which, when pressed, would immediately contact local emergency services, provide the employee's location information and dispatch local law enforcement to the store, according to the bill's text.
The wearable or mobile buttons would only track employee locations when triggered.
The act also requires retail employers to implement programs to prevent workplace violence and provide training on such programs for employees.
NY's Retail Worker Safety Act: Major retailer speaks out against NY bill requiring panic buttons in retail stores
The New York State Department of Labor would create a model workplace violence prevention policy for employers to use, which includes a list of factors or situations that might place retail employees at risk of workplace violence and methods employers may use to prevent incidents of workplace violence. The policy will be reevaluated every four years and updated as needed.
Employers would also utilize a training program created by the Department of Labor, which includes de-escalation tactics, active shooter drills and instruction on the use of security alarms, panic buttons and other related emergency devices. The training would be provided to all retail employees upon hire and on an annual basis after.
Panic button requirement causes concern
Walmart, the Arkansas-based retail giant, opposed the panic button element of the legislation because the company believes there's likely to be too many false alarms, according to Reuters' conversation with Walmart executive vice president of corporate affairs, Dan Bartlett in June.
And some retail groups are pointing to the price tag of installation being too hefty, Reuters said, while others are worried it lacks clarity.
"We remain concerned with the panic button mandate and its effectiveness to help protect retail workers and consumers," Food Industry Alliance of New York State president and CEO Mike Durant said in June. "As employee and public safety are of paramount importance to our industry, we are going to be discussing the provisions within this legislation with our members further and work to ensure any mandate will be an effective approach."
Does law apply to grocery stores?
The legislation defines "retail store" as a store that "sells consumer commodities at retail and which is not primarily engaged in the sale of food for consumption on the premises."
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It's unclear whether this definition would exclude grocery stores like Wegmans or Tops from the law's requirements — a question New Yorkers may have, given the 2022 shooting where a gunman killed 10 people inside a Buffalo Tops store.
When will law go into effect?
The law will go into effect 180 days after it's signed, however, the panic button part of the legislation will not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2027.
Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes . Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NY enacts panic button law despite retailer pushback
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