Things I found invasive and dangerous in the workplace

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

1. Being told to pee in a cup because I had been chosen randomly, without any suspicion.
2. Being told the office wasn’t closing and that I needed to drive through the worst of a tropical storm. With tornado warnings. In a minicooper.
3. Being written up for being 3 minutes late after 3 1/2 hours of forced overtime the day before.
4. 3 paid sick days per year, after which was an unexcused absence even if you had vacation days and personal days accrued.

We accepted and did these things without complaining because we wanted to keep our jobs.

Suck it up, buttercup, get your vaccinations.

[multigraincracker]

1. Seems kind of funny to me that

"At will employment" laws were pushed by the right-wing and now the only way to protect some rights that they want for is to unionize.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. You nailed it. Now the R sheep who supported it for the billionaires are like all "What?!?". . . nt

[twodogsbarking]

3. Those were the good things at places I worked.

Fuckers.

[sarchasm]

4. And they wonder why people aren't excited to get back to their jobs.

[Siwsan]

5. We used to save ALL of our emails from HR when it came to 'special circumstances'

Like the time, years ago, we were hammered by an awful storm. The CEO made the decision, from his vacation home in Arizona, NOT to close the building, despite the state police requesting people stay home. Those that made it in were sent home and didn't have to take any PTO, and the same applied to those who tried and/or couldn't make it in - not necessary to take PTO.

Then the same situation hit a few years before I retired. Not only were they going to hit those of us who couldn't make it in with having to take PTO, we were being penalized by getting an 'unplanned absence' put in our employee files. You were allowed 3 (I think) per year. For some, especially those with kids, that could have put them at the edge of getting written up. And, HR insisted there was no precedence. So, being good union members, a whole bunch of us pulled up that years old email and HR was flooded with angry responses.

At the end of the day, none of us had to take 'unplanned time off'.

[Oppaloopa]

6. Try working in Florida people. They exempted themselves years ago from OSHA yes really esp if

they are government workers . My son must wear heavy long pants working outside for 10 hours per day. This will continue until one or more of them die. No amount of complaining will change this. we have all tried even their piss poor union . The union always says we can't strike because we are prevented by law as government workers. They are trashmen.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. Are public employees covered by OSHA? It depends.

Mon Sep 13, 2021: Are public employees covered by OSHA? It depends.

On Monday, DeSantis said that any cities or counties in Florida that require public government employees to get vaccinated to keep their jobs will be charged $5,000 for every single violation, with violators at risk of paying millions of dollars in fines.

https://www.google.com/search?q=does+osha+cover+state+employees

Are public employees covered by OSHA?

State and Local Government Workers
Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by Federal OSHA, but have OSH Act protections if they work in those states that have an OSHA-approved state program.

Federal Government Workers
OSHA's protection applies to all federal agencies.

State Plan Frequently Asked Questions

What is an OSHA-Approved State Plan?

OSHA Coverage

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act covers most private sector employers and their workers, in addition to some state and local government employers and their workers in the 50 states and certain territories and jurisdictions under federal authority. Those jurisdictions include the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Wake Island, Johnston Island, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act.

Private Sector Workers

OSHA covers most private sector employers and workers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the other United States (U.S.) jurisdictions – either directly through OSHA or through an OSHA-approved State Plan. State Plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states rather than federal OSHA. Section 18 of the OSH Act encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs and precludes state enforcement of OSHA standards unless the state has an OSHA-approved State Plan.

OSHA approves and monitors all State Plans and provides as much as 50 percent of the funding for each program. State-run safety and health programs must be at least as effective (ALAE) as the federal OSHA program. OSHA provides coverage to certain workers specifically excluded from a State Plan (for example, those in some states who work in maritime industries or on military bases). To find the contact information of the OSHA or State Plan office nearest to you, call 1-800-321-OSHA or go to www.osha.gov.

The following 22 states or territories have OSHA-approved State Plans that cover both private and state and local government workers:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• California
• Hawaii
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• Oregon
• Puerto Rico
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wyoming

State and Local Government Workers

Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by OSHA, but have OSH Act protections if they work in states that have an OSHA-approved State Plan. OSHA rules also permit states and territories to develop plans that cover state and local government workers only. In these cases, private sector workers and employers remain under federal OSHA jurisdiction.

Five additional states and one U.S. territory (Virgin Islands) have OSHA-approved State Plans that cover state and local government workers only:

• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Maine
• New Jersey
• New York
• Virgin Islands

Next question, is Florida a state-plan state?

OSHA State Plans

No. Florida is a federal OSHA state. Workers at state and local government agencies are not covered by Federal OSHA.

All About OSHA

[Throck]

7. Exactly why I switched jobs.

[Delphinus]

9. Your story,

and the others I see in here, make me cringe. I was so very lucky with my jobs and am truly happy to be retired.

When will employers ever learn?

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

10. I am delighted to be now retired

It was like release from prison.