For Immediate Release: May 30, 2025
Media Contact: Lisa Thomas, lisa@alignny.org, (347) 415-6431
As Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act takes effect in NY,
Labor Coalition Behind it Urges Strong Worker Education & Enforcement
Law regulates warehouse safety to protect thousands of workers
at companies like Amazon
ALBANY, NY – The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act (WWIRA; S5081C/A8907A), passed by the NYS Legislature in June 2024 and signed by Governor Hochul in December, takes effect this Sunday, June 1 in New York State. The legislation regulates safety in warehousing — one of New York’s most dangerous industries — with 1 in 9 workers seriously injured every year or more than double the national average. It is part of a national movement to rein in corporate power and declining working conditions, with similar bills enacted in California, Minnesota, and Washington, and introduced in Connecticut and at the federal level.
The coalition behind the bill — including ALIGN, Teamsters, National Employment Law Project (NELP) and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), among others — celebrates this clear victory for worker justice and corporate accountability, but there is still more to be done. The group is urging the Department of Labor to ensure its success by establishing strong enforcement protocols and conducting expansive worker outreach and education as soon as possible to prevent further injuries.
In the absence of enforceable ergonomic safety standards, New York warehouse workers have experienced high rates of injuries—four times more than the average New York worker. Warehouse workers handle poorly-designed equipment, use stressful postures and repetitive motions, and move unsafe loads that can lead to sprains, muscle strains, and tendinitis, among other musculoskeletal injuries. Conditions at Amazon warehouses are especially severe — injuries spike during major sales events and a new report reveals that Amazon injury rates remain alarmingly high as the corporation fails to meet its internal goals to improve safety.
Sponsored by State Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblymember Harry Bronson, and drafted with the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition, the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act will establish industry-wide safety standards, require annual safety evaluations of large warehouses for hazards by ergonomic safety experts, improve training and medical care, and empower the Department of Labor to enforce the law. Ergonomic fixes may be simple, such as providing dollies for heavy loads or raising a shelf several feet so that workers don’t need to bend over repeatedly, or they may involve redesigning worksite layouts, work pace, or machinery so that it is easier for workers to operate safely. In addition to keeping workers safe and holding companies like Amazon accountable for job safety, the bill will reduce turnover for employers and ease the burden on the state’s healthcare and workers’ compensation systems.
“The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act clarifies that our loved ones are not products. They should not be returned home broken, bruised, or beaten down. This legislation sets a strong standard, ensuring warehouses are designed for people, not boxes,” said Senator Jessica Ramos.
“The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act requires safety standards that will help keep warehouse workers safe on the job. This is a win for workers which protects their right to health and safety above profits, and with this legislation in effect, when they leave for work, warehouse workers can feel more confident they will return home to their family safely. As Labor Chair, safe workplaces are one of my highest priorities and this new law helps us continue our work to ensure every worker is in a safe workplace,” said Assemblymember Harry Bronson.
“This is a massive victory for the warehouse workers who have endured grueling quotas, dangerous conditions, and a company that values products and productivity over human lives,” said Theodore A. Moore, ALIGN Executive Director. “But whether they’re union-busting, denying blame for worker injuries, or abusing their monopoly power, Amazon thinks they’re above the law. We must be vigilant. Workers need to know their rights, and New York must stay laser-focused on implementing this law with strong enforcement and comprehensive worker education. Thanks to Governor Hochul, our sponsor champions Senator Ramos and Assemblymember Bronson, and our uncompromising coalition for this huge achievement; now we look ahead to ensuring every warehouse worker is safe on the job.”
“The injury crisis at Amazon is severe, widespread, and well-documented. That’s why enforcement of the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act, taking effect on June 1st, is so critical. Without full implementation and strong enforcement at Amazon, corporate deniability and cover-ups will remain the norm. We need real, independent medical staff at AmCARE and real, independent ergonomic evaluations of the conditions inside the warehouse. Our state government must work with us—the workers—to find out exactly what we need to reduce stress, injury, and pain in our bodies as a result of the job,” said Connor Spence, President of Amazon Labor Union – International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1 (ALU-IBT).
“New York is stepping up to create protections that warehouse workers have been demanding for at least a decade,” said Rebecca Dixon, president and CEO of the National Employment Law Project (NELP). “This bill is a monumental organizing victory that brings workers closer to our vision of a good-jobs economy: where workers use their power to shape workplace safety standards so jobs are free from serious bodily harm, and an inhuman pace that leads to lifelong injuries. Enforcement and rulemaking that places worker safety over profits will be critical to close loopholes and ensure that these measures are effective. While this legislation tackles the most injury-prone industry, there are still many New Yorkers who need workplace ergonomic protections. We congratulate our allies in this fight, Governor Hochul, Senator Ramos, and Assemblymember Bronson, knowing that this coalition will continue to strive towards a future of safety and dignity for all workers.”
“For too long, warehouse workers have suffered preventable injuries while billionaire corporations put profits over worker safety. The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act represents a critical step toward making warehouses safer, but real change will only come through rigorous enforcement and ongoing organizing within the industry. NYCOSH is in solidarity with warehouse workers who mobilize to enforce the new law and holding corporations accountable to these vital safety standards,” said Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH).
Background
As of June 1, 2025, this new NYS law establishes:
- Annual safety expert evaluations of large warehouses (defined as 100 or more employees at a single warehouse or 1,000 or more employees at multiple warehouses) for potential risks of injury
- Consistent safety standards across New York warehouses
- Improved training
- On-site medical care from qualified providers
Employers must:
- Once a year: hire a safety professional to evaluate their warehouse for injury risk, including workstations and layout, pace of work, training, and on-site medical practices
- Within 30 days: correct risk factors or provide a timeline for completing fixes and record all steps taken to eliminate hazards
- Provide adequate medical care without delay to workers who report injuries to the on-site medical services
- Medical office staff must operate within their legal scope of practice and be supervised by a physician
- Medical staff are required to observe, in person, jobs involving manual materials handling within the warehouse and all risk factors identified in evaluations
- Provide an annual injury reduction training to all employees including
- Workplace injury risks and how to reduce them
- Medical treatment protocols
- How to create a workplace safety committee to report and fix safety concerns
- Employee rights to enforce the law without retaliation from the company
Workers have a right to:
- Request a copy of safety evaluation findings and records of employer fixes and receive within 1 business day
- Request a secondary evaluation by a certified ergonomist within 30 days if they deem initial findings insufficient
- Protection from retaliation for safety evaluation requests
- A summary of treatment protocols for workers covering all aspects of the on-site medical and first aid practices
- Take trainings during normal work hours and without loss of pay
About New Yorkers for a Fair Economy
New Yorkers for a Fair Economy (NYFE) is a coalition of labor unions, small businesses, and immigrant and community organizations uniting to safeguard our state from the abusive practices of big corporations and achieve an economy that works for all New Yorkers. NYFE is led by ALIGN (The Alliance for a Greater New York) and includes labor unions Teamsters Joint Council 16 and Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union; community groups like New York Communities for Change and New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health; and research and advocacy organizations like National Employment Law Project and Strategic Organizing Center, among others.
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