Workers’ Safety

U.S. Department of Labor Emphasizes Protecting Worker Safety and Pay During Holiday Season

WASHINGTON, DC: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and its Wage and Hour Division (WHD) remind employers of their responsibility to protect worker safety and pay during the holiday season. As the nation enters a unique holiday shopping season, employers must ensure that they train all workers to recognize and prevent job hazards, and incorporate safe work practices to prevent exposure to the coronavirus. At the same time, employers must also familiarize themselves and comply with federal rules governing the payment of wages for temporary or seasonal workers. “Throughout the holiday season, all employees, including seasonal workers, should be trained not only on how to perform their jobs safely, but also on how to stay safe from the coronavirus,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “Every worker deserves a safe and healthful workplace, whether they are packing boxes, stocking shelves, delivering products or selling merchandise.” OSHA offers resources on holiday workplace safety for warehousing, delivery and retail workers. Guidance is also available for protecting workers from exposure to the coronavirus in retail and high customer-volume environments, stockrooms and loading docks, and package delivery. Additional information is available on workers’ rights, the protection of temporary and seasonal workers, as well as safety for young workers. Temporary or seasonal employees hired to provide additional help have the right to a safe and healthful workplace, and to be paid for the work performed. With added seasonal hiring, employees unfamiliar with working in seasonal positions and employers unaccustomed to hiring part-time and/or seasonal employees may not be fully aware of the rules that regulate such work. “While retail employees work hard during the holiday season to serve shoppers and help the economy thrive, they have bills to pay. We need to ensure workers are paid their rightful wages,” said Wage and Hour Division Administrator Cheryl Stanton. “With more temporary and part-time workers employed during the holidays, it’s important that we inform these workers and their employers about rules concerning work hours, wages and employment conditions, including their rights to paid sick leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.” WHD enforces federal minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping and child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Common holiday season labor violations include failing to pay salespeople and cashiers for time spent prepping or closing out a register; requiring stock room and warehouse personnel to work through breaks without compensation; and not providing overtime pay to employees working more than 40 hours in a workweek. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.p

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NY Helmets to Hardhats Highlights Veterans for National Apprenticeship Week

cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. All NYC Care services are provided through NYC Health + Hospitals . With NYC Care, you can get a unique membership card to access health services, choose your own doctor, and get affordable medications. NYC

Union Plus Holiday Giveback Campaign

1986 to provide consumer benefit programs exclusively to union members (current and

Apprenticeship Week with a series of posts featuring veteran members/alumni of the program, including members from IBEW Local 3, Glaziers Local 1087, IUEC Local One, Local 638 Steamfitters, and Heat & Insulators Local 12. Here's what Local 3 member Ken Jacobsen had to say: "My transition out of the military started with a good friend of mine, John Grogan, who introduced me to the Helmets to Hardhats program. He looked into it for Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council ice. I created my H2H profile New York Helmets to Hardhats helps veterans pursue a career in and was able to communicate with Anne Trenkle who helped start my career with Local 3 Electricians. This was one of the greatest opportunities that had happened and every day I could not be a union construction trade of more thankful to Helmets to Hardhats for helping with their choice. This week, this transition." NYH2H commemorated both Read the full series of profiles on the NY Helmets to Veterans Day and National Hardhats Facebook page!p

NYC Care Available Citywide

NYC Care is a health care access program that guarantees lowCare Services include: Women’s Health, Medications 24/7, Eye Care and Primary and Preventive Care, Glasses, Specialty Care, Mental Health and more!p

Union Plus, a nonprofit organization founded by the AFL-CIO in me while I was still in servretired) and their families, is giving $1,000 to 100 extraordinary union members this holiday season with the Union Plus Holiday Giveback! Tell Union Plus all about an extraordinary union member you know and they'll be entered to win!p

Volunteers Needed for Phone Banking to Georgia Union Households

With the critical Georgia Senate races heading into runoff elections on January 5th, The New York City Central Labor Council, in conjunction with the national AFL-CIO, is hosting daily phone bank opportunities for NYC union members to reach out to union households in Georgia. With the control of the US Senate in the balance, we need your help. We ask that you sign-up today to help support the AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidates, Reverend Warnock and John Ossoff. You can pick a day & sign-up here: Labor Votes Phone Bank Sign Up. Every call you make will help us get one step closer to ensuring working people win this runoff. voice at the table at the New School. Local 802 musicians of the Metropolitan Opera were also recently featured on NBC news, including a clip of their recent on-the-street performances. Musicians give an update on their current contract situation and how they're helping scientists figure out the safest Virtusl Phone Banks are open from 11 am to 8:30 pm. You will provide voters information on casting their Early Votes through December 31st, voting by mail, or casting their ballot on Election Day, January 5th, 2021. We ask that you join us and sign-up as a Labor Votes! Phone Bank Volunteer today! After signing up you will receive a username and password to get started making calls. With just a few hours of your time between now and January 5th, you can help us stand in solidarity with Geor-

Local 802 Fights for Justice at New School, Gets Featured on NBC

Jazz faculty represented by American Federation of Musicians Local 802 are fighting for justice and a gia! Sign-up today! p

Photo courtesy NYC Central Labor Council

way for musicians to return to performing. And finally, Local 802 is continuing to solicit testimony from musicians and other artists about how they've been affected by the pandemic. Your responses could help New York State lawmakers with much-needed legislation.p