New York law: Public school districts must have workplace violence prevention plans

Albany, NY — Public school districts in New York will be required to develop and implement workplace violence prevention programs, under a new state law set to go into effect Jan. 4.

Signed Sept. 6 by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), A. 1120/S. 1746 will apply to school districts with at least 20 full-time employees. It amends Section 27-b of state labor law, which in 2006 excluded public schools as an “employer” based on an established amendment.

The process of developing and implementing the program must include evaluating potential risks within workplaces.

“As the mother of two public school children, I know that educator safety only improves student safety,” state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, said in a press release. “Public school educators, administrators and support staff have been asking for the ability to proactively take action to create safe and nurturing learning environments.”