As of August 1st, OSHA has rolled out an expedited case processing pilot in a few regions. This allows certain employee claims, as long as they meet a set of criteria, to be escalated directly to an administrative law judge without further OSHA investigation. This program is not projected to have a major effect on employers, just allow certain cases to be processed and resolved faster.
Key Takeaways:
- OSHA rolled out an “expedited case processing pilot” on Aug. 1 in its western region
- If an employee feels that he or she has been discriminated against and files a claim with OSHA, the agency will perform an investigation and issue findings
- The pilot program isn’t likely to have a huge impact on employers, Miller noted, except that they may get to a hearing before an administrative law judge sooner than they normally would.
“Although the pilot won’t affect workplace safety and health programs, it serves as a reminder that employers should have strong anti-retaliation policies in place and should adhere to those provisions, Miller noted.”
