A trio of new worker protection laws either have — or will soon go into effect — across New York State. Including one that is rooted in large part by the May 14, 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo, NY.
The three laws all focus on various levels of worker protection including those in the retail, fashion and warehouse industries.
Of the three, NYS Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said one, the “Retail Worker Safety Act,” can be traced back to the mass shooting at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo.
“What happened at Tops, was really horrifying, and of course, she (Kathy Hochul) is from Buffalo, so it's it really hit home for her. I'm sure that that really made the conversation much more urgent,” Reardon said.
The act requires employers with more than 10 workers to offer some level of interactive training on how to identify and prepare for any sort of violence at their workplace.
Employers with more than 500 workers, need to install silent response buttons or have employees wearing such buttons.
Safe rooms, in some instances, may be required.
New York has more than 800,000 people employed in the retail sector and Reardon said the new law aims to offer them more protection.
“This really is to make sure that retail workers are safe, and it's actually a safety precaution for the public as well,” Reardon said.
The Fashion Workers Act, which takes effect June 19, offers more protection for models in the transparency of photo shoots, collecting royalties and limits on long-term contracts.
The law covers all model shoots in the state and not just New York City.
“There have been years people have known about unfair working practices, and of course, there's a very significant power imbalance in that industry,” Reardon said.
Following up on a 2023 warehouse worker protection set of laws, a new legal package centers on work site evaluation and ways to prevent back and shoulder injuries.
The new laws went into effect on June 1.
Reardon says the updated new law comes from issues raised by state lawmakers and organized labor groups - both of whom are seeking more worker protections against the backdrop of more automated warehouse operations.
Employers who fail to adhere to the new laws face financial fines and penalties.
