Bill > HR3036

This bill, known as the Protecting America's Workers Act, is a comprehensive update to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 that aims to expand worker protections, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, and increase penalties for workplace safety violations. The bill includes several key provisions: expanding coverage to public employees, enhancing whistleblower protections by preventing retaliation against workers who report safety concerns or refuse to perform dangerous work, increasing civil and criminal penalties for workplace safety violations (with maximum fines rising from $70,000 to $700,000 for serious violations), and establishing new rights for victims of workplace injuries or their families. The bill also requires more robust reporting of workplace injuries, mandates electronic reporting of workplace incidents, and provides victims with rights to be informed about and participate in investigations and legal proceedings related to workplace safety violations. Additionally, the legislation requires periodic reviews of state occupational safety and health plans, updates recordkeeping requirements, and provides for annual inflation adjustments to penalties. The bill introduces criminal penalties for employers who knowingly violate safety standards, with potential imprisonment up to 10 years for violations that cause employee death, and establishes procedures for employees to contest citations and seek relief for safety violations.