Relates to developing and implementing programs to prevent workplace violence in public schools

6 Co-sponsors

• Martin J. Golden
• Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• Shirley L. Huntley
• Suzi Oppenheimer
• Kevin S. Parker
• José Peralta

BILL NUMBER:S1257A

Title of bill

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to developing and implementing programs to prevent workplace violence in public schools

Purpose

This bill amends section 27-b of the Labor Law to include public schools within the provisions of current law designed to require public employers to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence.

Summary of provisions

An amendment is made within section 27-b of the Labor law.

Existing law

In 2006, public schools were excluded as an 'employer' based on an established amendment within the Labor law. Since public schools are excluded as an employer, they do not have to develop and implement workplace violence protection programs.

Justification

Workplace violence is an increasingly visible element in today's workplaces. This bill would assist both employers and employees in ensuring a safe work environment.

Workplace violence is now one of the leading causes of death on the job in the united States and the leading cause of workplace fatalities for women. Enactment of this bill would require school districts, with at least 20 full-time permanent employees, to develop and implement programs to prevent workplace violence, must evaluate the potential risks of workplace violence that exist within their workplaces, and then develop and implement a written workplace violence prevention program to prevent and minimize the hazard of workplace violence to their employees.

Violence is a substantial contributor to occupational injury and death, and homicide has become the second leading cause of occupational injury death. Each week, an average of 20 workers are murdered and 18,000 are assaulted while at work or on duty. Nonfatal assaults result in millions of lost workdays and cost workers millions of dollars in lost wages.

Workplace violence is clustered in certain occupational settings, For example, the retail trade and service industries account for more than half of workplace homicides and 85% of nonfatal workplace assaults.

Taxicab drivers have the highest risk of workplace homicides of any occupational group. Workers in health care, community services, and retail settings are at increased risk of nonfatal assaults. Risk factors for workplace violence include dealing with the public, the exchange of money, and the delivery of services or goods, prevention strategies for minimizing the risk of workplace violence include (but are not limited to) cash-handling policies, physical separation of workers from customers, good lighting, security devices, escort services, and employee training.

A workplace violence prevention program should include a system for documenting incidents, procedures to be taken in the event of incidents, and open communication between employers and workers.

Legislative history

2009-2010: S.2124 Passed Labor Committee; Committed to Finance 2008-2009: S.2124 - Passed Labor Committee; Committed to Finance 2007-2008: S.6007 - Committed to Rules

Fiscal implications

Fiscal implications of $287,000 for the Department of Labor and the hiring of three new inspectors.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law, with provisions.