s 59 59703 1249444800 false 1249444800 1580 2375 111 300059

8/5/2009--Introduced.Protecting America's Workers Act - Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) to expand its coverage to federal, state, and local government employees. Authorizes the Secretary of Labor, under specified conditions, to cede OSHA jurisdiction to another federal agency with respect to certain occupational standards or regulations for such agency's employees. Declares OSHA inapplicable to working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Heath Act of 1977. Sets forth increased protections for whistle blowers under OSHA. Sets forth provisions relating to: (1) the posting of employee rights; (2) a prohibition against the adoption or implementation of policies or practices by employers that discourage the reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses or that discriminate or provide for adverse action against any employee for reporting such injury or illness; (3) a prohibition against the loss of wages or employee benefits as a result of an employee participating in or aiding workplace inspections; (4) investigations of incidents in a place of employment resulting in a death or the hospitalization of two or more employees; (5) a prohibition against designating a citation for an occupational health and safety standard violation as an unclassified citation; (6) the rights of an employee who has sustained a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of an investigation; (7) an employer's right to contest citations and penalties; (8) the Secretary's assertion of an employer's failure to correct a serious hazard during an employer's contest to a citation; and (9) employee objections to modifications of citations. Increases civil and criminal penalties for certain OSHA violators. Requires a state that has an approved plan for the development and enforcement of occupational safety and health standards to amend its plan to conform to the requirements of this Act within 12 months after enactment of this Act.

1249444800 2009-08-05 Wed Jan 06 09:16:27 -0600 2010 introduced 59703 'act':5 'worker':4 'america':2 'protect':1 77537 false short introduced 59703 'act':10,18 '1970':12 'bill':2 'amend':4 'occup':6 'expand':14 'health':9 'purpos':33 'safeti':7 'violat':29 'certain':28 'coverag':15 'increas':20,25 'penalti':26 'protect':21 'whistleblow':23 77115 false official action 59703 Thu Aug 06 18:57:41 -0500 2009 1249444800 Wed Aug 05 00:00:00 -0500 2009 206499 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. K000105 1932-02-22 12654 317 Russell Senate Office Building http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm 202-224-2417 Edward 'd':4 'ma':5 'sen':1 'ted':8 'edward':2,6,9 'kennedi':3,7,10 M 300059 Kennedy Edward_Kennedy M. Sen. Edward Kennedy [D, MA] 7031 Ted N00000308 21718 Democrat 202-224-4543 Catholic MA Ted Edward Kennedy 3.57391304347826 http://kennedy.senate.gov/ action 59703 Thu Aug 06 18:57:41 -0500 2009 1249444800 Wed Aug 05 00:00:00 -0500 2009 206499 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. action 59703 Thu Aug 06 18:57:41 -0500 2009 1249444800 Wed Aug 05 00:00:00 -0500 2009 206498 Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S8867) introduced 59703 Thu Aug 06 18:57:41 -0500 2009 1249444800 Wed Aug 05 00:00:00 -0500 2009 206497