New York state mandates panic buttons for large retailers under new law

By Siddharth Cavale

NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday signed a new law requiring retailers to boost safety protections for store workers, including requiring major chains to add panic buttons in all New York State locations.

Unions representing retail workers had pushed for the new law, known as the Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA), after high-profile shootings in the state and as some retail executives recently have cited a rise in retail crime – a claim that has been disputed.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

The requirement to add panic buttons specifically at retail workplaces is the first of its kind among U.S. states. While California adopted similar but broader workplace requirements earlier this year, it did not mandate panic buttons.

Walmart (NYSE:WMT), the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Food Industry Alliance of New York State (FIA) have previously opposed the RWSA. Walmart argued against the panic button idea, citing concerns about the likelihood of false alarms. Others expressed worries about the associated costs.

Walmart and the FIA declined to comment. The NRF deferred comment to the Retail Council of New York State, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the past, the retail groups have sent letters to the New York State Senate opposing panic buttons.

CONTEXT

The RWSA goes into effect after 180 days. It requires, among other things, retailers with 10 or more employees to adopt a violence prevention plan and maintain records of violent incidents for at least three years.

It also requires retailers with 500 or more employees nationwide to install panic buttons in easily accessible locations or provide wearable panic buttons or mobile-phone-based alarm devices to alert emergency officials.

This provision of the law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

BY THE NUMBERS

In New York City there have been at least 40,900 complaints related to retail theft so far this year, a 2.7% increase since last year, according to the New York Police Department.

U.S. retailer Target also closed nine locations, including one in East Harlem, citing violence against employees and retail theft as primary reasons.