In August 2005 the NYS Public Employees Federation launched a statewide campaign 
entitled, “Stop Workplace Violence”. Getting punched, kicked, or otherwise abused is NOT 
part of the job! Thousands of our members work with society’s most dangerous populations 
in hazardous conditions in state institutions and social service agencies. Chronic short 
staffing, mandatory overtime, and stress put our members and their clients at risk. 
The campaign consisted of education and mobilization to improve safety! 
The goals of the campaign were:

1. Mobilize for worksite and agency based violence prevention programs; and
2. Establish a legislative agenda on workplace violence prevention. 
   Two of the three bills were signed into law. One was vetoed by the Governor.

Materials generated from the campaign are listed below. 

Stop Workplace Violence Campaign Memo (Requires Adobe Reader)
Stop Workplace Violence Campaign Flyer (Requires Adobe Reader)

Members of the Stop Workplace Violence Workgroup

Workplace Violence Prevention Law

The NYS Workplace Violence Prevention Law was signed on June 7, 2006 .  
According to the DOL , March 4, 2007 is the date by which public employers must 
comply with the Law.  The final regulations were published on April 29, 2009 . 

To view the "Overview and Key Requirements Fact Sheet of the 
Workplace Violence Prevention Law", please click below:

Overview Fact Sheet of the Workplace Violence Prevention Law
(Requires Adobe Reader)

This legislation requires public employers to develop and implement workplace violence 
prevention programs that cover all employees at each of their worksites.  
The Law is the most comprehensive standard in the country.  It is intended to minimize the 
risk of workplace violence, making all NYS public workplaces safer for the workers and the 
public they serve.

To view the "Key Elements of a Workplace Violence Prevention Program" 
Fact Sheet, 
please click below:

Key Elements of a Workplace Violence Prevention Program Fact Sheet
(Requires Adobe Reader) Updated Jan 2010

Are you involved in developing the workplace violence prevention program at your agency 
and worksite? If not, the time to get involved is NOW .  If PEF activists are not involved, 
there is a clear danger that agencies will engage in a half hearted paper response, 
at best. 

Below are key points regarding the regulations and your right to be involved in 
your agency and worksite programs:

• The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) finalized and published 
  the above referenced regulations on April 29, 2009 .  The New York State 
  Workplace Violence Prevention Act, Labor Law Article 2 § 27-b, became law 
  on June 7, 2006 . 
  The effective date of the law was March 4, 2007 . 

• The law requires all state agencies, sub-divisions, and authorities to develop 
  comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs with the 
  full participation of public employee union representatives. However, it is 
  the employer’s responsibility to develop and implement the programs. 
  The programs should address all potential sources of workplace violence, 
  whether perpetrated as part of a robbery or other criminal act, by a client, 
  patient, or inmate in an institutional setting, by a co-worker, or by a 
  “significant other” in a workplace-based domestic violence situation.

• Significant union and employee involvement is required by the law, 
  and is critical to ensuring that workplace violence prevention programs 
  are comprehensive, feasible, and effective. Therefore, agencies shall 
  engage in a process that includes union representatives and appropriate 
  frontline staff in developing their programs. Many agencies are already 
  engaged in such efforts. 
  Additionally, PEF has expertise and resources to assist agencies in 
  developing their programs.

• The effective date of the Workplace Violence Prevention Regulations is
  April 29, 2009 .  Public employers should be in full compliance with the 
  regulations by August 27, 2009. 

• The NYSDOL has promulgated regulations that detail the mandatory 
  elements of a workplace violence prevention program. 
  
  They can be viewed at:
  
  NYS Dept of Labor Website.  
  
  The regulations include phased in effective dates as follows:
  
  You are able to download the dates on a separate paper here:  WPV DATES  
  (Requires Adobe Reader)

1)     The Employers Policy Statement shall be completed within 30 days –
May 29, 2009 .

2)     The workplace evaluation and determination (risk assessment)  shall be 
completed  within 60 days – June 28, 2009

3)     The written workplace violence prevention program shall be completed 
within 
75 day – July 13, 2009 .

4)     Employers shall be in compliance with the entire regulation within 
120 days – August 27, 2009 . This includes implementing feasible 
hazard controls and 
training.

To view and download the "FINAL  Workplace Violence Regulations",
please click below

Workplace Violence Prevention - DOL Final Regulations
(Requires Adobe Reader)