At Learning Pool, we're always keeping an eye on evolving legal and regulatory trends that impact ethics and compliance training. (What can I say? We're pretty nerdy about this stuff.) One major trend gaining momentum in the U.S. is workplace violence prevention.
Many compliance professionals are already aware that California enacted new workplace violence prevention training requirements for employers in early 2024. Later that year, New York followed suit—at least for the retail sector. This isn’t surprising, as both California and New York often lead the way in employee protections and workplace training requirements, with other states frequently adopting similar measures in the years that follow.
Now, with the New York Retail Worker Safety Act ("the Act") set to take effect on March 3, 2025, compliance professionals must prepare for the new requirements aimed at protecting retail workers from workplace violence. Here’s what you need to know.
Employer responsibilities under the act
Covered employers must develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program that includes:
A written Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Must outline risk factors, reporting procedures, available remedies for victims, and a commitment to non-retaliation.
Interactive employee training
- Required for all retail employees upon hiring and annually thereafter.
- Must cover key topics such as the Act itself, how employees can protect themselves when faced with customer or coworker violence, de-escalation techniques, active shooter drills, emergency procedures, and the use of security alarms, panic buttons, and other emergency devices.
Role-specific supervisor training
- Supervisors must receive additional training on their specific responsibilities in preventing and responding to workplace violence.
Access to panic buttons (for large employers)
- Employers with 500 or more retail employees nationwide must provide access to panic buttons in the workplace by January 1, 2027.
Action items for compliance professionals
Compliance professionals must take proactive steps to ensure their organizations are prepared. Beyond simply meeting legal requirements, this is an opportunity to strengthen workplace safety, enhance employee confidence, and reinforce a culture of compliance. Here’s how you can get ahead of the changes:
Stay informed
- Review the specific requirements of the Act and watch for guidance from the New York Department of Labor, including a model policy and training program expected as the effective date approaches.
Review and update policies
- Ensure your organization’s workplace violence prevention policy is up to date and meets all required elements. Check that reporting channels are in place and functioning as intended.
Prepare to deliver training
- If your organization already offers workplace violence prevention training, confirm that it aligns with the Act’s new requirements before rolling it out to New York retail workers.
- If you don't have a program in place, start evaluating learning solutions now to ensure compliance by March 2025.
How Learning Pool is helping
We're developing a new course called Preventing Workplace Violence, launching in March 2025. This course will:
- Provide foundational workplace violence prevention training applicable across industries.
- Include jurisdiction-specific content for both California and New York to meet legal requirements.
- Offer role-specific training for supervisors to ensure they understand their responsibilities.
By proactively addressing these new requirements, employers can create a safer, more supportive workplace while ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.
Deborah Mercier is a licensed attorney with over 13 years of experience in the compliance field, spanning a diverse range of sectors. She is deeply committed to developing engaging and effective ethics and compliance training programs and helping organizations align their business objectives with legal and regulatory requirements.
