You have the right to a safe workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) was passed to prevent workers from dying or suffering other harm on the job. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free from known hazards. With some 150 million workers across the country and millions of different workplaces, the issue of safety and health is one of the main concerns of people who work in those environments.
The Department of Labor is responsible for requiring organizations to comply with about 180 federal laws related to employee health and safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also enforces regulations related to employee working conditions. In addition, each state implements its own labor laws and, at the same time, complies with federal laws. Organizations, corporations and businesses that do not comply with mandatory regulations may be subject to sanctions and lawsuits. For this reason, many companies hire OSHA certified professionals who understand how to implement federal and state labor laws.
People who are interested in promoting the health and safety of employees may consider earning a Master of Science in Safety and Emergency Management. Labor laws act as mediators between the government, organizations and employers, workers and unions. They establish the rights and responsibilities of employees in a variety of work environments and can demand everything from workplace safety and health to workers' compensation. Let's look at workers' compensation, for example. These programs compensate employees who are injured on the job.
They can pay health providers directly or compensate the employee with a lump sum in cash. Some examples of workers' compensation laws include the Dock and Dock Worker Compensation Act, the Occupational Illness Compensation Program for Energy Employees, the Federal Employee Compensation Act, and the Black Lung Benefits Act. Organizations are responsible for keeping up to date on any changes in existing labor laws and for being aware of new laws. The following regulations have been established to protect and promote the safety and well-being of workers across the country. The Norris-LaGuardia Act was passed at a time when workers had virtually no right to organize.
Courts routinely issued precautionary orders against worker strikes and pickets. These injunctions could be issued simply on the basis of the employer's testimony. Uncooperative workers were fined and jailed without trial or due process. The law protected the right of workers to strike. It strictly prohibited courts from violating the right of workers to strike, organize through a union, help others involved in a labor dispute, form peaceful pickets, and assemble peacefully. The law rationalized that “the unorganized individual worker is often powerless to exercise real freedom under the conditions of the modern capitalist economy”.
The NLRA also sets prohibitions on how employers are allowed to address these rights. It prohibits unions led by the company and declares that discrimination against workers who participate in collective bargaining is an unfair labor practice. If a worker's rights are violated, the worker can file a complaint with a regional office of the National Labor Relations Board within six months of the violation. The result of a long struggle on the part of workers, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 standardized the eight-hour day and prohibited child labor. Children under the age of sixteen are prohibited from working.
In addition, the law instituted a minimum wage. The Taft-Hartley Act is a series of amendments to the NLRA. Approved in a more conservative post-war climate, the amendments were intended to prohibit unfair labor practices by unions. Two important sections, widely considered to be against workers, are the provision on the “secondary boycott” and the provision on the “right to work”. Also known as the Landrum-Griffin Act, this labor law was passed in response to corruption and organized crime in unions.
It guarantees equal rights for all union members to nominate and vote for union leaders, attend meetings and participate in discussions. It also protects union members from being sanctioned for suing a union. In addition, the law regulates elections in unions more stringently. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits employment discrimination against people aged 40 and over.
It also prohibits employers from refusing to refer a person for employment on the basis of age. The ADEA also covers unions, prohibiting them from refusing to include members on the basis of age. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave for specific family and medical reasons without the risk of losing their jobs or health insurance. Employees are entitled to twelve weeks of work leave after the birth of a child, to care for a spouse or child with a serious health condition, or in the event that a serious health condition prevents the employee from performing their job properly.
For those who want to expand their knowledge of labor laws and safety industry, an excellent option is exploring Eastern Kentucky University's online Master of Science in Safety & Emergency Management with a specialization in Occupational Safety program. The program's courses can help you demonstrate an ongoing commitment to learning & leadership whether you aspire to work at government level or private sector. When businesses refuse to pay OSHA fines or when it comes down to economic aspect of health & safety or occupational safety in age robotics - there are several labor laws you should know about such as National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Taft-Hartley Act (T-H), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) & Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). These laws protect & promote safety & well-being of workers across US & guarantee equal rights for all union members while prohibiting discrimination against workers who participate in collective bargaining & protecting them from being sanctioned for suing a union.
The main law that protects health & safety of workers in workplace is Occupational Health & Safety Act (OSHA). Congress enacted this legislation by virtue its constitutional grant authority regulate interstate commerce & OSHA requires employers provide safe working conditions free from known hazards.
