With the festive season nearing the shops are getting increasingly busy with customers preparing for Christmas.
It is no secret that this year customers are feeling the pinch more than ever with the significant cost of living crisis. This in itself has customers on edge wondering how they are meant to find the extra money to get through this season.
Customers need to be mindful that the retail workers are there to help you and are not to be abused.
The NSW Government has identified assaults against retail workers to be a real issue and has recently passed a Bill to amend the Crimes Act 1900.
Under the Crimes Act 1900 it is an offence to:
- assault, throw a missile at, stalk, harass or intimidate a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty, even if no actual bodily harm is caused to the worker, with a maximum penalty of 4 years’ imprisonment.
- assault a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty and cause actual bodily harm to the worker, with a maximum penalty of 6 years’ imprisonment.
- wound or cause grievous bodily harm to a retail worker in the course of the worker’s duty, being reckless as to causing actual bodily harm to the worker or another person, with a maximum penalty of 11 years’ imprisonment.
So next time you are frustrated at a retail worker at the shops think again how you treat them. You may unknowingly be committing a crime which can have serious consequences.
Everyone deserves respect.
This article was published on 28/11/23 and the information is valid only to the date of publishing. This article should be considered merely general and non-specific on the subject matter and is not and should not be considered or relied on as legal, advice. Meehans Solicitors is not responsible in the event this information is relied upon by the reader in the absence of specific legal advice.
