THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR MARKS ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY...

NYSDOL is reminding businesses covered by the Retail Worker Safety Act with 500 or more employees statewide that they must provide employees with access to a silent response button by January 1, 2027. A silent response button allows employees to request immediate assistance from a security officer, manager, or supervisor in case of emergency. Under the law, it can take the form of a physical button, a wearable device, or a mobile phone application. Employers are required to provide training on its use.

Since the Retail Worker Safety Act was enacted, NYSDOL inspectors have performed 430 proactive outreach visits to retail locations affecting 13,000 retail employees. During these visits, employers and employees were advised on the requirements of the law and provided links to the FREE Model Retail Workplace Violence Prevention Training located on the Department's website.

The New York State Fashion Workers Act requires model management companies and model management groups to comply with additional duties and responsibilities, and register with NYSDOL. Since the enactment of the Fashion Workers Act, 56 companies have registered as model management companies or groups, ensuring models in New York State's fashion industry receive enhanced rights and protections. The Department is actively assessing future education and outreach initiatives related to the Fashion Workers Act. These efforts will aim to proactively engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance and uphold protections.

Founding Director of the Model Alliance Sara Ziff said, "The Fashion Workers Act marks a historic victory for models who spent years organizing for labor rights in an industry that has long operated without oversight. Today, New York is setting the standard for transparency and accountability in the modeling industry while providing a blueprint for protecting creative workers in the age of AI. We are grateful to Commissioner Roberta Reardon and the New York State Department of Labor for their partnership, and we look forward to continuing our work together to ensure fashion workers understand and can fully exercise their rights."

These laws were enacted as part of Governor Kathy Hochul's efforts to enhance worker protections across the state. Workers who believe their employers are in violation of the Retail Worker Safety Act or Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction program are encouraged to file a Safety, Health, and Essential Rights Complaint with the Department. If a worker believes their employer is in violation of the Fashion Workers Act, they are encouraged to file a complaint online.