New York law now mandates that major retail stores add ‘panic buttons’ for workers

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

Major retail stores across the state of New York will be required to install “panic buttons” for their employees now that Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed the Retail Worker Safety Act, aimed at increasing retail worker safety protections. The law will take effect March 1, 2025, and panic buttons will need to be accessible or operational in New York locations by January 1, 2027.

Effectively, that means that nearly every large retailer you can think of—including Walmart, which has 98 stores in the state—will need to comply with the new New York law. Earlier this year, California implemented a similar law, but New York State’s differs in requiring panic buttons. Both laws are primarily the result of increased violence and threats in recent years toward retail workers, as well as mass shootings in retail stores, such as the 2022 racist attack in a Buffalo supermarket that killed 10 people and injured three.

Which retailers are affected?

The new law stipulates that a retail store is one that “sells consumer commodities at retail and which is not primarily engaged in the sale of food for consumption on the premises,” which would mean that stores such as Target or Costco also would need to implement changes to their New York-based locations to comply.

Further, the law applies to retail employers with at least 10 employees and stipulates specific requirements, such as assessments of potential violence hazards and related prevention policies. Notably, it also requires businesses with more than 500 retail employees nationwide to provide access to panic buttons throughout their workplaces. Either that or employers can offer mobile phone-based panic buttons.

“Nationwide” is the operable word here, as large retail chains employ hundreds of thousands of workers nationwide. Walmart, in fact, has millions. So, again, almost any major retail chain you can think of would likely be affected.

How would a panic button work?

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

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

Who is supporting the law?

The new law had support from labor groups, including the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

“Working to stop retail violence and theft has been a centerpiece of the Governor’s work this legislative session,” said Stuart Appelbaum, president of the RWDSU in a statement, “and with her signature on the Retail Worker Safety Act, our members, retail workers across the state, and shoppers will be safer. The preventative measures this law provides will help stop violence and harassment before it starts, but even more importantly, will more safely assist workers in getting help quickly in the event of an emergency.”

Who opposes it?

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

For example, in June, Dan Bartlett, Walmart’s executive vice president of corporate affairs, told Reuters that one reason the company opposed the addition of panic buttons was worries about too many false alarms. Reuters also reports that industry lobbying groups, including the National Retail Federation and the Food Industry Alliance of New York State, have also expressed opposition.