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In Bold Move, California Senate Passes Bill Banning Employees from Confronting Shoplifters

The California Senate passed a bill last week, Senate Bill 553, that would prohibit businesses from requiring their employees to confront shoplifters. Introduced by State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-Cupertino), the bill aims to strengthen occupational safety by addressing workplace violence and expanding the scope of protection and prevention measures. The legislation comes at a time when there has been a rise in retail theft incidents and violence associated with them, leading to store closures and security adjustments.

The bill’s focus on employee safety is an attempt to prevent rank-and-file workers from being put in harm’s way. The measure specifically states that employees should not be required to confront active shooters or shoplifters. This comes after a noticeable increase in theft incidents, particularly in department stores, with 1,503 shoplifting cases reported in Los Angeles alone during the latter part of 2022.

Retailers are experiencing significant economic losses due to the uptick in theft, leading some stores to close and others to implement security adjustments. However, over 50 organizations, including the California Retailers Association (CRA), are not in support of the bill. CRA president and CEO, Rachel Michelin, argues that the bill goes too far, opening doors for thefts and undermining ongoing Cal OSHA regulation efforts. The CRA believes that if SB 553 becomes law, it should apply to all industries, not just retail.

Michelin points out that most retailers already prohibit regular employees from confronting shoplifters, and some have trained theft prevention staff who are discouraged from approaching thieves under the current bill draft. Sen. Cortese has acknowledged that some adjustments might be made to the bill before it moves forward to the State Assembly for

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