What is the NY Retail Worker Safety Act?
A simple guide for New York retail businesses
The New York Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA) is a recently enacted law designed to improve workplace safety for retail employees. It went into effect on June 2, 2025 and reflects growing concern about workplace violence in retail settings and creates new legal obligations for many retail businesses across the state.
If you operate a retail business in New York, understanding the RWSA is essential to both protecting your employees and ensuring your company gets into compliance and remains there.
Here is a high level overview of what the law requires and how you can meet its obligations.
Who must comply with the RWSA?
The law applies to retail employers operating in New York State.
Some requirements apply to all retailers, while others depend on the size of the company:
All retailers, regardless of size, must:
Provide workplace violence prevention training to employees
Upon hire
Annually thereafter (or once every two years for businesses with fewer than 50 employees)
Retailers with 500 or more employees in New York State must also:
Install "silent response buttons" in designated locations by January 1, 2027
What must workplace violence prevention training include?
At a minimum, training must cover the following topics:
How to recognize warning signs of potential workplace violence
De-escalation techniques
What to do if an incident occurs
How to report concerns or incidents
Employees' rights and protections under the RWSA
Training completion must be documented and kept on file.
Why was the RWSA created?
Retail workers face an increasing risk of workplace violence. According to federal data, retail now ranks among the top three industries for incidents of workplace violence in the United States.
The RWSA was passed in response to this growing threat, as incidents involving customer aggression, theft-related violence, and targeted attacks against retail workers have become more common.
By requiring preventive training and other safety measures, the law aims to help businesses create safer working environments for retail employees. Compliance with the new law will also reduce the risk of liability and reputational harm for businesses.
What happens if you do not comply?
Non-compliance with the RWSA can expose your business to several types of risk.
Regulatory penalties
The New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL) is empowered to enforce the RWSA. Retailers found to be out of compliance may face formal citations, fines, and orders to correct deficiencies.
Regulatory penalties can be steep. Under New York State Labor Law enforcement procedures, retailers may face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation for non-compliance with training, recordkeeping, or policy requirements of the RWSA. Willful or repeat violations can result in penalties of up to $20,000 per violation or more.
Fines may be issued for:
· Failure to provide required training
· Failure to maintain proper training records
· Failure to implement or maintain a written workplace violence prevention policy
· Failure to install required silent response buttons (for larger retailers)
The financial exposure does not stop there. In the event of an incident, an employer found to be non-compliant may also face significant civil lawsuits, where settlements or judgments can easily exceed $100,000 to $500,000 depending on the circumstances.
Increased legal liability
If an incident of workplace violence occurs and an employer is found to have neglected its obligations under the RWSA, that failure can significantly increase the employer’s exposure in potential civil litigation.
For example:
A lawsuit brought by an injured employee could argue that the employer failed in its duty to provide a safe workplace.
The absence of documented training and compliance could make it harder for the employer to defend itself in court.
Non-compliance could also impact insurance coverage or result in higher premiums.
Reputational harm
News of serious workplace violence incidents spreads quickly, particularly when linked to allegations that a business ignored its legal responsibilities under state safety laws.
Operational risk
If an incident occurs and triggers a regulatory investigation or legal action, the business may be forced to divert management time and resources away from operations to address compliance failures and defend itself.
How can retail businesses comply?
The simplest way to meet the RWSA training requirement is to implement an online training program that covers all required topics and tracks employee completion.
NY Retail Safety offers an online course built specifically to help businesses comply with the RWSA. Our training is developed by legal and compliance experts and is ready to roll out to retail teams of any size.
Key features of the course include:
Coverage of the required RWSA topics
Printable completion certificates
Automated tracking and reporting
Content specifically designed for New York retail businesses, by an experienced Chief Compliance Officer for two public retail companies
Get started
Preparing your business for RWSA compliance is not just about checking a box. It is about helping to protect your employees and demonstrating your company’s commitment to safety and responsibility.
NY Retail Safety makes it easy to comply with the law and support your valued retail store team.