On May 22, 2025, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed Executive Order (EO) 2025-09 as part of the state’s broader initiative to enhance worker safety amid rising summer temperatures. ...more
Two new Kentucky laws will soon reshape workplace safety rules and how courts review agency decisions — with big implications for employer compliance and litigation strategy. Lawmakers passed House Bill 398, which will bring...more
In Michigan, various state employment laws prohibit employers from retaliating against employees. But can an employee pursue a public policy retaliation claim against the employer in addition to a statutory retaliation claim?...more
This is the first in a series of articles intended to provide the reader with a very high-level overview of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and how both...more
On May 24, 2023, Governor Tina Kotek signed into law legislation raising the maximum penalties for workplace fatality–related citations in Oregon far above federal limits. The law took effect immediately....more
California has long led the nation in addressing workplace violence via the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care standard. The federal Occupational...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) recently unveiled a new National Emphasis Program (“NEP”) for outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards. To best protect workers in hot working environments,...more
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is holding off on deciding whether to revoke final approval of Arizona’s occupational safety and health (OSH) plan. On August 10, 2022, OSHA said it is...more
On April 21, 2022, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a a proposed rule to revoke Arizona’s occupational safety and health (OSH) plan’s final approval under Section 18(e) of the...more
Tucked into the state budget recently passed by the General Assembly and expected to be signed by Governor Cooper is a provision, see here (reference Part XIII. Labor, page 131), that would dramatically raise the penalties...more
NLRB GC Provides Update on Recent Remedies. - Remember back in September 2021 when the Buzz reported on National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo’s memorandum instructing regional directors to...more
On May 9 and 10, 2022, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) adopted final rules on heat illness and wildfire smoke. The Oregon OSHA Final Heat Illness Prevention Standard - Oregon...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) established a dual enforcement structure for inspections and citations for workplace safety issues. Either federal OSHA enforces the law, or states have the option of electing to...more
On Jan. 25, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) responded to the Supreme Court’s recent stay of its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) mandating COVID-19 vaccination or testing by releasing a rule...more
On January 13, 2022, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) announced that because the Supreme Court of the United States has stayed the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA)...more
On January 3, 2022, Minnesota’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MNOSHA) adopted the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard...more
On November 18, 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law measures that immediately prohibit workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private and public employers and begin the process for Florida establishing a state...more
On November 15, 2021, the Florida Legislature will convene a five-day special session under the proclamation issued on October 29, 2021, by Governor Ron DeSantis for the “Keep Florida Free” joint legislative agenda. With...more
On November 5, 2021, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration published its anticipated emergency temporary standard on COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing (the “ETS”). Citing the “grave danger” posed by the virus...more
On November 10, 2021, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that he would sign legislation that addresses various COVID-19–related issues, including vaccine mandates and mask mandates. The law is effective immediately....more
Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, states may elect to enforce their own health and safety programs in lieu of federal OSHA exercising enforcement authority. A number of states such as North Carolina and...more
On Tuesday, the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation announced its intent to develop a general OSHA standard intended to address workplace hazards from all infectious diseases in the workplace. The...more
On July 8, 2021, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) adopted temporary rules to bolster worker protections from the hazards of high and extreme heat, including requirements to provide shade,...more
On September 25, 2020, Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (“Oregon OSHA”) issued its draft COVID-19 Temporary Standard. Oregon OSHA intends to adopt this Temporary Standard later this week, with an anticipated effective...more