What Louisiana’s New Behind the Counter Law Means

LOUISIANA - Beginning August 1, 2026, there are numerous new Louisiana state laws going into effect. One of these new laws is called the "Behind the Counter" law.

This new legislation aims to significantly improve workplace safety for thousands of employees working in stores, restaurants, convenience stores, and other "customer-facing" businesses across the state.

Here's what you need to know...

What Is Louisiana's Behind The Counter Law?

The proposal, known as the Louisiana Behind the Counter Protection Act, is designed to address a growing concern among workers: workplace violence.

The legislation would establish new workplace violence prevention requirements for certain employers throughout Louisiana.

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Under the new law, businesses would be required to create safety plans, provide employee training, document incidents, and make workplace violence resources available to workers. The goal is to help businesses identify potential threats before situations escalate into dangerous encounters.

Lawmakers say workers in retail stores, restaurants, and other public-facing jobs often face verbal threats, harassment, and, in some cases, physical violence while simply doing their jobs.

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Why Workplace Violence Is Becoming A Bigger Concern

Workplace violence has unfortunately become an increasing concern nationwide as well as here in Louisiana, particularly for employees who work directly with customers.

Retail workers and restaurant employees frequently deal with difficult situations involving theft, drunk customers, disputes over store policies, and more. Supporters of the bill believe better training and preparation could help employees recognize warning signs and respond more effectively when potentially dangerous situations arise.

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What Businesses May Be Required To Do

According to jdsupra.com, Louisiana businesses covered by the law could be required to:

Develop workplace violence prevention plans.
Train employees on safety procedures.
Track and report workplace violence incidents.
Provide information and resources for affected workers.
Display workplace safety notices and information.
Protect employees from retaliation for reporting violent incidents or safety concerns.

Why This Matters For Louisiana Workers

Louisiana has hundreds of thousands of residents working in retail, hospitality, food service, and customer-service industries.

Many of these workers spend their shifts interacting with strangers, handling cash transactions, enforcing company policies, or working late-night hours. These situations can sometimes increase the risk of confrontations.

Louisiana's new "Behind the Counter" law aims to standardized a statewide approach to workplace violence prevention could help businesses better prepare employees and reduce workplace injuries.

Read more at jdsupra.com.