OSHA to provide protections for immigrant workers reporting safety issues

Workers whose immigration status discourages them from sharing information with investigators or reporting workplace safety and health issues will gain immigration protections from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration starting March 30.

The U.S. Department of Labor on Monday announced new authorities for OSHA to issue certifications in support of visa applications, which will allow victims of human trafficking and those who voice workplace safety concerns to “help law enforcement detect, investigate and prosecute crimes without fear of retaliation based on their immigration status.”

The program will help the agency “better fulfill its mission to make U.S. workplaces as safe and healthy as possible,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker in a statement. “Workers in the U.S. need to feel empowered and able to trust OSHA and the U.S. Department of Labor enough to voice their concerns about workplace safety regardless of their immigration status and fears of retaliation.”