Retail Workplace Violence Prevention Policy

Any employer wishing to develop their own policy must include​​:   

1. ​​A l​​​ist of factors or situations that might place retail employees at risk of workplace violence, including but not limited to:  
   • working late night or early morning hours;  
   • exchanging money with the public;  
   • working alone or in small numbers;  
   • uncontrolled access into the workplace.
2. ​​M​​​ethods ​the ​employer​​ may use to prevent incidents of workplace violence including, but not limited to, establishing and implementing systems for employees to report incidents of workplace violence.
3. ​​I​​​nformation about federal and state laws concerning violence against retail workers, the remedies available to victims of workplace violence, and a statement that there may be applicable local laws concerning violence against retail workers.
4. ​​A​​​ statement that retaliation against workers who complain about workplace violence, or situations that may give rise to workplace violence, is against the law.

Retail employers in New York State who adopt the New York State Department of Labor’s Model Retail Workplace Violence Prevention Policy may choose to establish a clear, easy-to-use system for retail employees to report incidents of workplace violence. A reporting system is a recommended component of an effective workplace violence prevention program. It is ​a ​best practice for employers to develop a process to ensure that all workplace violence incidents are reviewed promptly by managerial staff.  

The New York State Department of Labor recommends that employers maintain a record of any reports of workplace violence they receive so that employers may evaluate and identify any trends in workplace violence incidents over time.