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 @SoreEagleIndependent from Virginia agreed…9mos9MO

"if a company is confirmed to be abusing workers, neglecting workplace safety, discriminating in the hiring process, or doing anything unsafe, there will be "fees" associated with acts of unsafe & unfair workplaces."

Doesn't the division of labor already handle this?

  @TonyForCA  from New Jersey commented…9mos9MO

The Division of Labor is not doing enough to combat this.

To investigate & improve working conditions, I would ramp up investigations into large employers such as UPS, FedEx, Amazon, and Walmart. This would include incognito and impromptu investigations & inspections. This would be done in collaboration with the Division of Labor as a crackdown on mistreatment in the workplace. Also, the fines mentioned will not be tiny, these corporations will feel it, and a good portion of the penalties will be given to the workers affected by the abuse.

 @S3curityMothLibertarian from South Carolina disagreed…9mos9MO

In 2019 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is a part of the Department of Labor, conducted 33,401 inspections. Additionally, the Department of Labor recovered a record $322 million in wages for workers in 2019. While it's essential to continue pushing for improvements, it's also important to acknowledge what's already being done.

As for the suggestion of significantly larger fines, while it may provide a deterrent, it could also inadvertently harm employees if companies decide to cut costs in other areas to compensate, such as reducing workforce…  Read more

  @TonyForCA  from New Jersey commented…9mos9MO

By giving corporations tax cuts as an incentive, they could easily abuse the system and get tax cuts by putting on a show to the Dept of Labor when inspections happen.

The whole point of my plan is to mix in some incognito & impromptu investigations into work conditions which would include having new & existing employees report their findings to the Division of Labor, as an incentive would be provided to anyone willing to do so and their identities would remain confidential to protect the worker's identity and employment.

And I do acknowledge what OSHA has done, but the execution…  Read more

 @IcecreamRayLibertarianfrom Alabama agreed…9mos9MO

And I do acknowledge what OSHA has done, but the execution is not working.

I can certainly understand your concerns about the effectiveness of OSHA's operations. An example that comes to mind is the case of the poultry processing industry. Despite high rates of injuries and illnesses, inspections and enforcement actions by OSHA have been insufficient due to a lack of resources. This is a clear example of where more proactive and unannounced inspections could potentially make a big difference.

As for your suggestion about anonymous reporting by employees, it's an interesting idea. Currently, employees can submit complaints to OSHA, but the process may not…  Read more

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