New York statute
N.Y. Penal Law § 120.19 — Assault on a retail worker
Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
Part of Article 120: Assault and Related Offenses, New York Penal Law.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 120.19
Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.
120.19 Assault on a retail worker.
1. A person is guilty of assault on a retail worker when, with the
intent to prevent a retail worker from performing an act within the
scope of such worker's employment, such person causes physical injury to
such retail worker and the person knew or reasonably should have known
that such individual was a retail worker.
2. For the purposes of this section:
a. "Retail worker" shall mean any person whose usual place of work is
a retail establishment. This shall include, but is not limited to, an
employee of the retail establishment, an owner of the retail
establishment, or a person who works in the retail establishment under
arrangements made between the person and the establishment.
b. "Retail establishment" shall mean any physical business or
commercial entity engaged in the sale of goods, merchandise, or services
directly to consumers.
Assault on a retail worker is a class E felony.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
What class of felony is assault on a retail worker in New York?
Assault on a retail worker is a Class E Felony in New York under N.Y. Penal Law § 120.19.
Which New York statute covers assault on a retail worker?
Assault on a retail worker is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 120.19 (Assault on a retail worker).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.