NYSDOL Publishes Model Policy, Training and FAQs For Retail Workplace Violence Law
On May 29, 2025, NYSDOL released its model workplace violence training policy model, training (in both English and Spanish) and FAQs.
The FAQs clarify a number of compliance issues.
First, the policy needs to be distributed to employees when they are first hired and once a year after that.
Next, it clarifies that an employer cannot simply adopt the model policy wholesale as it requires worksite specific assessment of risk factors.
The policy also needs to be distributed in English and an employee's primary language, provided NYSDOL has issued a translation in such language. NY employers have long been familiar with such language requirements under other laws such as the Wage Theft Prevention Act.
The FAQS also state that training must be provided when employees are first hired and after that, employers with 50 or more retail employees must provide workplace violence prevention training once a year, while employers with 49 or fewer employees must provide training every two years.
NYSDOL specifically notes that the law only covers defined "retail employees" as opposed to others such as marketing and administrative but "encourages" employers to take appropriate steps to protect all employees.
The law also requires retail employers with 500 employees or more in New York to implement a “silent response” button on January 1, 2027.
All employers should strongly consider workplace violence assessment and training that is tailored to the specific worksite.
This document is designed for general information only. The information presented in this document should not be construed to be formal legal or tax advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.
For more information on this and other topics, please contact Kevin via any of the channels listed below:
📧 kevin@kmckernan.com | 📞 718-317-5007