1. Purpose and Scope
This policy establishes [Organisation Name]’s workplace violence prevention plan in compliance with Article 2, Section 27-e of the New York Labor Law (the Retail Worker Safety Act).
This policy applies to all full-time, part-time, and seasonal retail employees at [Location(s)], as well as contractors and agency staff who regularly work on-site.
This document identifies workplace violence risk factors, establishes prevention procedures, defines reporting channels, and outlines legal protections for employees.
Working through related paperwork at the same time? See also our Health & Safety Policy Template, US Lone Worker Policy Template and US Workplace Safety Policy Template.
2. Policy Statement
[Organisation Name] maintains zero tolerance for workplace violence against retail employees. We systematically evaluate retail locations for risk factors, implement safety controls, and investigate every reported incident or concern.
Personal safety comes first. No sale, piece of merchandise, or customer dispute justifies physical intervention. Disengage from conflict, retreat to a safe area, and call for help immediately.
Approved by: [Role] Date: [Date]
3. Definitions
Workplace violence includes any physical assault or aggressive behavior in the workplace. Under this policy, workplace violence encompasses:
- Verbal or physical threats directed at a retail employee, or any attempt to inflict physical injury.
- Intentional displays of force that cause an employee to reasonably fear bodily harm.
- Intentional, non-consensual physical contact, with or without weapons or resulting injury.
- Stalking an employee when the behavior stems from or connects to their employment and causes fear for physical safety.
The workplace covers any location where a retail employee performs duties, including sales floors, stockrooms, break rooms, cash wraps, delivery bays, and company-managed parking areas.
4. Workplace Risk Factors
[Organisation Name] has identified the following potential risk factors across its retail locations:
- Operating during late-night or early-morning hours.
- Exchanging cash directly with the public at registers and customer service desks.
- Working alone or with minimal staffing during store opening, closing, or off-peak trading hours.
- Uncontrolled public access to store entrances, delivery areas, and service doors.
- High-value inventory and site-specific layout factors.
5. Violence Prevention Methods
To mitigate workplace risk factors, [Organisation Name] implements the following measures:
- Cash Control Protocols: Registers enforce strict drawer limits of [Amount]. Staff perform regular drops into secure safes. Prominent signage indicates minimal cash is stored on-site.
- Staffing Rules: High-risk hours require at least [Number] employees on duty. Opening and closing operations require adherence to dedicated lone-worker safety checklists.
- Environmental Controls: Staff maintain clear lines of sight between entrances and registers. Facilities inspects exterior lighting and parking areas on a [Frequency] basis. Delivery and service doors remain locked when not actively loading or unloading.
- Security Infrastructure: [Location(s)] features security alarms, cameras, and emergency alert devices. Operational guidance is provided during training and posted at [Location].
- De-escalation Protocol: Staff must use de-escalation techniques, stay calm, disengage from confrontational encounters, and call for support. During a robbery, comply fully with all demands and do not physically intervene.
- Post-Incident Controls: Following any security incident or near-miss, [Role] conducts an operational review to assess root causes and update risk factors and physical controls.
6. Incident and Hazard Reporting Procedure
Emergency Incidents
- In the event of immediate danger, physical violence, or an active emergency, call 911 immediately.
- Once safe, notify the [Role] on duty during the same shift to initiate internal response protocols and official recordkeeping.
Non-Emergency Concerns
- Report non-emergency hazards (such as persistent customer threats, broken physical locks, or recurring lone-worker scheduling risks) to [Role] via [Reporting Method].
- Alternatively, submit concerns anonymously using [Anonymous Reporting Method].
- The designated manager evaluates all reports and provides feedback regarding corrective actions taken or planned.
External Statutory Reporting
- If you identify a systemic safety violation, submit written notice to [Role] to give [Organisation Name] a reasonable opportunity to correct the condition.
- If the issue remains unaddressed, employees may file a statutory complaint with the New York State Department of Labor Safety, Health, and Essential Rights (SHER) program.
- Prior written internal notice is not required if an employee reasonably believes in good faith that an imminent danger exists and that reporting to a supervisor would not result in corrective action. In such cases, follow immediate safety procedures and contact the SHER program directly.
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7. Anti-Retaliation Protections
Retaliation against any employee for reporting workplace violence, raising safety concerns, filing a complaint, or participating in an investigation or proceeding is strictly prohibited by law and this policy.
Prohibited retaliation includes adverse scheduling changes, shift reductions, disciplinary actions, demotion, or any form of harassment. Report suspected retaliation immediately to [Role] for prompt investigation.
8. Employee Legal Rights
Retail workers are protected under federal, state, and local safety standards:
- Federal Standards: Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act General Duty Clause, employees are entitled to a workplace free from recognized hazards causing or likely to cause serious physical harm.
- State Standards: Workplace violence acts may constitute criminal offenses under state law. Victims of workplace violence are entitled to legal remedies, which may include protective orders and access to victim compensation resources through [Contact Information].
- Local Standards: Additional municipal or county protections may apply depending on jurisdiction.
The New York State Department of Labor maintains current statutory details and standard policy guidelines through its official regulatory resources.
9. Training Program
Every retail employee must complete workplace violence prevention training upon hire. Refresher training follows a schedule based on headcount: annually for organizations with 50 or more retail employees, and biennially for smaller organizations, as mandated by state guidelines.
Training programs cover the following core topics:
- Statutory requirements and policy commitments.
- Personal safety and conflict avoidance strategies.
- Conflict de-escalation tactics.
- Active shooter response procedures and emergency drills.
- Site-specific emergency procedures, including designated exits and primary/secondary evacuation assembly points for each store.
- Operation of security alarms, silent response devices, and emergency communication tools.
- Specific responsibilities of supervisors during security emergencies.
Training is conducted in English and in an employee’s primary language when official translations are made available by the state. Completion records are documented and stored at [System/Location].
10. Silent Response Devices
For locations or business units meeting statutory size thresholds (500 or more retail employees within New York State, effective January 1, 2027):
- [Organisation Name] provides functional silent response devices enabling employees to summon immediate help from internal security, management, or supervisory personnel.
- Devices take the form of [installed physical buttons at registers/offices / wearable panic hardware / dedicated mobile applications on company-issued equipment].
- Fixed devices are positioned at [Location(s)] and portable devices are issued to [Role(s)]. Usage instructions are integrated into mandatory training and displayed at [Location].
- Mobile and wearable devices deploy strictly on employer-provided equipment and shall not track an employee’s geographic location except when an active alarm is triggered.
- [Role] tests silent response systems on a [Frequency] schedule. Report any hardware or software defects to [Role] and resolve them before the start of [High-Risk Shift/Period].
11. Distribution, Records, and Review
Document Distribution
This policy is distributed in writing to all retail employees upon hire and annually thereafter. It is provided in English and in an employee’s primary language where official state translations exist.
Recordkeeping
[System/Location] securely retains signed acknowledgments, training logs, reported incidents, hazard logs, and site risk evaluations for a minimum period of [Retention Period].
Review Schedule
[Role] reviews this policy on an [Annual] basis, immediately following any workplace violence incident, or whenever relevant labor laws and statutory regulations change.
- Document Owner: [Role]
- Next Review Date: [Date]
FAQs on an NY retail worker safety act policy
What is an NY retail worker safety act policy?
An NY retail worker safety act policy establishes your organisation’s workplace violence prevention plan in compliance with Article 2, Section 27-e of the New York Labor Law (the Retail Worker Safety Act).
Having it written down means the same rules apply to everyone, so managers are not making judgement calls case by case under pressure.
What does an NY retail worker safety act policy include?
This template covers workplace risk factors, violence prevention methods, incident and hazard reporting procedure and anti-retaliation protections.
Every section is written to be filled in. The bracketed placeholders mark the decisions that are yours to make, such as timescales, approval owners and retention periods.
How to implement an NY retail worker safety act policy with Whale
Copy this template into Whale and work through the bracketed placeholders so it reflects how your organisation actually operates.
Assign it to the teams it applies to so it sits where people work rather than in a shared drive, and set a review date so it gets revisited on schedule instead of quietly going out of date.
Use our templates to fast-track your documentation
Customize this template and 100s of others for free in Whale, the fastest way to get your team aligned.