Reporting Your Employer To OSHA In Los Angeles, California
Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid To Report Your Boss To OSHA?
Your manager cannot fire you or retaliate against you for reporting a dangerous working condition to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Unfortunately, employers may also suffer retaliation if they believe they can get away with it.
So, what should you do if you know you're working in a potentially hazardous environment? Do you plan to write a report about it? Are you willing to face the risk of losing your job? Here's a quick rundown of OSHA's workplace safety and labor rights, as California Employment Lawyers reference them in employment claims.
What Role Does OSHA Play In California Labor Law?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, is a federal agency in charge of worker safety and health in various industries. Employers who do not follow OSHA's laws can be prosecuted and fined. In addition, individual complaints submitted by employees or California Employment Lawyers can be investigated.
In addition to penalties, those violating the agency's guidelines may face legal action. This is especially true when such infractions result in employees becoming hurt or ill at work.
Making A Report To The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA complaints can be lodged online, over the phone, via fax, or in writing. We can aid you with locating and comprehending the documentation you'll need and completing it. If you don't want your employer to know who submitted the complaint, you can request OSHA keep your name anonymous.
Legal assistance may be required if searching for records and speaking with your boss about a problem to urge action does not provide results promptly. You can also contact OSHA directly to file a formal complaint or request an inspection of the relevant company or workstation.
For the best results, speak with an Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles to confirm that your complaint is the type that OSHA would accept and discover what should and shouldn't be included on the complaint forms.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Avoid Retaliation?
While retaliation is against the law, businesses try to retaliate against whistleblowers who report them to OSHA. Therefore, if you choose to report a safety issue, take the following precautions to keep yourself and your coworkers safe:
Consult your coworkers. A group complaint presented as a common issue by several of you could be able to calm your boss's rage.
Consult your labor union for more information. Even though unions are becoming less common these days, take advantage of yours if you have one. Your union representative can (generally) keep your identity hidden while negotiating with your employer to correct the adverse circumstance.
Before filing a complaint with OSHA, try to contact your direct supervisor, shift manager, or another person in authority. However, there's always the chance that a threat is being unnoticed. Bosses sometimes have a lot on their minds and aren't always as informed about what's going on at work as their employees are.
If everything else fails, file a formal complaint with the US Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA prioritizes complaints with an urgent or impending threat to worker safety.
When Can You File A Lawsuit For Retaliation?
If you are threatened because you filed a complaint, you must act quickly, whether you are telling your boss or an OSHA inspector.
You only have 30 days to file a retaliation complaint with OSHA. Contact an Employment Lawyer in Los Angeles to ensure you file the proper paperwork and meet crucial deadlines.
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