Retail Workers Deserve Better Protections As Essential Workers: State Sen. Scarcella-Spanton

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SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON DEMANDS SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS FOR RETAIL WORKERS AT PRESS CONFERENCE

ALBANY, NY – On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (SD 23-Staten Island/Southern Brooklyn), alongside Assemblymember De Los Santos, held a press conference on Tuesday at the Million Dollar Staircase in the New York State Capitol to demand safer working conditions for retail employees.

Senator Scarcella-Spanton joined forces with business leaders and government partners in addressing critical safety concerns facing retail workers. At the press conference, Senator Scarcella-Spanton stood united with the Collective Action to Protect our Stores Coalition in calling for changes that will ensure accountability in creating a safer environment for retail employees and the community.

With the spike in crime throughout the country, many existing and new laws protect first responders from assault.

This legislation would treat a retail worker, who, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, was deemed essential, the same as a first responder. Retail workers should be afforded the same protections, since there has been a spike in verbal and physical assault against this workforce.

The issue of retail theft and its impact on small businesses is widespread throughout New York State– so much so that Governor Kathy Hochul is also addressing it directly in her state budget.
Specifically, within the budget for FY 2025, Governor Hochul has incorporated legislation championed by Senator Scarcella-Spanton in order to mitigate crimes against retail workers. Together, Governor Hochul’s budget allocation and Senator Scarcella-Spanton’s legislative efforts underscore a commitment to address the challenges posed by retail theft– safeguarding small businesses and prioritizing the well-being of retail workers in the process.
To address this issue head-on, Senator Scarcella-Spanton introduced legislation to classify assault on a retail worker as a class D felony, aligning it with the level of assault on other essential workers.
The proposed legislation, known as Senate Bill S5479, seeks to elevate the offense to assault in the second degree.
This proposed legislation aligns with existing protections for utility workers and other frontline personnel, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding those who play vital roles in maintaining the fabric of our communities.
“It is so crucial that we recognize the importance of protecting small businesses and their workers. Retail workers are really the backbone of so many communities, and they deserve to feel safe when they clock in to work. That’s why I’m sponsoring this legislation– it demands accountability for those who commit these crimes against innocent workers just trying to make ends meet.
“We are sending a clear message that we prioritize the well-being of our retail employees. I look forward to continuing to work with Assemblymember De Los Santos and Collective Action to Protect our Stores Coalition to ensure this legislation becomes law here in New York” said Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
Senator Scarcella-Spanton was appointed as Chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs, and is a member of the Committees on Civil Service and Pensions, Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Disabilities, Insurance, Labor, and Women’s Issues.
Editor’s note: Collective Action To Protect Our Stores, or CAPS, is a collective of small business owners and other interested parties that are standing up against organized retail theft, where the vast majority of the crimes are being committed by a very small few.  

“We at CAPS are urging New York City and New York State leaders to take action to address the pervasive issue of retail theft that is negatively impacting our safety, our livelihoods, and our communities.

To achieve this goal, we recommend the following:

  • Create dedicated units and direct resources to expedite response times and increase communication and coordination between law enforcement and DAs to deter repeat offenders.
  • Call on prosecutors to use “harm on harm” to request bail which allows DAs and judges to request and set bail for repeat offenders who are facing charges in another case and are rearrested for causing another harm.
  • Pass the following bills:
    • S1644 / A1504 creates the offense of fostering the sale of stolen goods.
    • S4448 / A4121 raises a subsequent offense to grand larceny in the fourth degree.
      S5479 / A5260-A elevates an assault of a retail worker to the class D felony of assault in the second degree
  • Launch and run a public service announcement campaign against shoplifting, and hold every level of the criminal justice system accountable for doing their part to tackle this issue.”

Banner Image:  Beware of thieves. Image Credit – Markus Winkler


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