New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a new law that requires retailers to enhance safety protections for store workers. The law, known as the “Retail Worker Safety Act,” mandates that major retailers install panic buttons in all their locations throughout the state. This move aims to improve the security of retail employees and enable them to quickly call for help in emergency situations.
According to the text of the bill, the panic button can be a physical button installed in easily accessible locations within the workplace or a wearable/mobile phone-based button that immediately connects with local emergency services. It will provide information about employee location and dispatch law enforcement to respond promptly.
This requirement makes New York the first state in the US to specifically mandate panic buttons at retail workplaces. While California implemented similar workplace requirements earlier this year, it did not include panic buttons.
Walmart, along with industry groups such as the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Food Industry Alliance of New York State (FIA), had previously opposed this measure. Walmart expressed concerns about potential false alarms, while other groups worried about associated costs.
The new law will take effect after six months and will require retailers with 10 or more employees to adopt violence prevention plans and maintain records of violent incidents for at least three years. The provision regarding panic buttons will come into effect on January 1, 2027.
The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union expressed support for this measure because it focuses on preventative action that safeguards workers and shoppers before incidents occur. While workplace shootings were primarily referenced by both union statements and bill texts, they also highlighted retail theft as a significant concern costing US retailers billions each year.
Target’s decision last year to close its Harlem location due to organized retail crime further emphasizes these concerns surrounding safety risks faced by employees and customers alike.
With theft-associated losses increasing from $93.9 billion in one year to $112.1 billion in another according to data from the National Retail Federation, addressing violence concerns remains a top priority for all retailers regardless of size or category.
