New York law now requires supermarkets to add ‘panic buttons’ to employees

You’ve heard of Panic! At the Disco—well, what about the panic buttons at Costco?

Shopping malls across New York will be required to install “panic buttons” on their employees as Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed the Commercial Worker Safety Act, which aims to increase worker safety protections. The law will go into effect on March 1, 2025, and panic buttons will be required to be accessible or functional in New York areas by January 1, 2027.

That means almost every big retailer you can think of—including Walmart, which has 98 stores in the state—will have to comply with New York’s new law. Earlier this year, California enacted a similar law, but New York State differs by requiring panic buttons. Both laws are the result of an increase in violence and threats in recent years against store workers, as well as mass shootings at stores, such as the 2022 racist attack at a Buffalo supermarket that left 10 dead and three injured.

Which vendors are involved?

The new law stipulates that a convenience store that “sells merchandise at a retail location and is not primarily involved in the sale of food for consumption on the premises,” meaning stores like Target or Costco will also have to start operating. changes in their New York-based locations to comply.

In addition, the law applies to retail employers with at least 10 employees and specifies certain requirements, such as an assessment of potential violence risks and related prevention policies. Notably, it also requires businesses with more than 500 retail employees nationwide to provide access to panic buttons in all of their workplaces. That or employers can provide mobile phone-based panic buttons.

“Nationwide” is the operative word here, as supermarkets employ hundreds of thousands of workers across the country. Walmart, in fact, has millions. So, again, almost any major retail chain you can think of could be affected.

How does the panic button work?

From the law: “’Panic button’ means a physical button installed in easily accessible locations throughout the workplace, or a wearable, or cell phone-based button that when pressed immediately contacts a 9-1-1 public safety answering point (“PSAP”). , provides the PSAP with location information for employees, and submits local law to the workplace.”

So, presumably, physical panic buttons can be installed in and around shops (similar to how banks, for example, have silent alarm buttons). But employers can also make sure employees have an application on their phones with a built-in panic button.

Who supports the law?

The new law was supported by trade unions, including the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

“Working to stop retail violence and theft has been a focus of the Governor’s work this term,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president of RWDSU in a statement, “and with his signing of the Retail Worker Safety Act, our members, store workers across the state, and consumers will be safe.” The preventive measures provided by this law will help stop violence and abuse before it starts, but more importantly, it will help workers get help quickly in an emergency.”

Who is against?

Given the additional costs associated with the new law, some retailers and industry groups oppose it.

For example, in June, Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s senior vice president of corporate affairs, told Reuters that one of the company’s reasons for opposing the addition of panic buttons was the concern about too many false alarms. Reuters also reported that industry lobby groups, including the National Retail Federation and the Food Industry Alliance of New York State, also voiced opposition.