The US government created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to safeguard workers from hazardous working environments. Making sure employers give their employees a safe and healthy workplace is one of OSHA’s main responsibilities. The organization establishes and upholds safety regulations, looks into complaints, and gives both employers and employees access to training and education.
The right to a safe and healthy workplace is one of the most important rights guaranteed to employees by OSHA. Employers are responsible for providing a workplace free from known risks that could result in significant physical damage or death. As a result, companies must take action to recognize and eliminate such risks by, among other things, providing safety gear, instructing staff on how to use equipment safely, and putting in place safety standards.
Additionally, OSHA mandates that employers post specific notifications in the workplace that explain employees’ rights and obligations. Posters explaining how to report occupational injuries and illnesses are among them, as are those that outline the rights of employees under OSHA.
Employee rights regarding pay are in addition to providing a secure and healthy workplace. OSHA mandates that companies pay staff for all hours worked and give overtime compensation for hours worked above 40 in a week, despite the fact that it does not establish minimum wage rates. Additionally, OSHA forbids employers from taking any action against workers who file complaints or report workplace dangers to the organization.
Currently, legislation raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour has been passed in a number of states. California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia are some of these states. The federal minimum wage, however, is still $7.25 per hour.
The current minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal amount. However, the living wage calculator from MIT estimates that a single adult’s livable income in North Carolina will be roughly $15 per hour. This accounts for the price of needs including food, shelter, transportation, and healthcare.
The fast food company often pays its employees the minimum wage or a little more in North Carolina. However, the business recently declared ambitions to raise US employees’ average hourly pay to $15 by 2024, which would be applicable to both company-owned and franchised restaurants.
The right to a safe and healthy workplace, the right to fair compensation, and protection from retribution for reporting workplace hazards or making complaints to the agency are just a few of the rights that employees have under OSHA. To protect the safety and wellbeing of their workers, employers must abide by OSHA standards and employees must be aware of their rights.
There is no rule that forbids employees from working seven days in a row in North Carolina. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), which establishes requirements for workplace safety and health, must be followed by employers. Employers are required by OSHA to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for their workers, which includes offering enough breaks and vacation time to prevent weariness and exhaustion. Therefore, the employer could be held accountable for any injuries or illnesses that occur as a result of working seven days in a row if doing so violates OSHA rules and puts workers in danger.
The amount of hours a worker can work in a day is not specifically capped by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA does, however, mandate that employers give their workers a safe and healthy working environment, including acceptable working hours to avoid fatigue and other associated risks. State and federal legislation may also impose restrictions on the number of hours an employee may work in a day and on when they must take breaks. Therefore, it is advised to research the relevant rules and policies in your state or sector before working more than 12 hours per day.