[20200520]LSB10474_2019冠状病毒疾病和联邦对拒工的就业保护.pdf

CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i COVID-19 and Federal Employment Protections for Work Refusals Updated May 20, 2020 The easing of stay-at-home orders in most states has prompted both the reopening of businesses and concern among employees who fear exposure to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the workplace. Fifty-one percent of the respondents in a recent survey of employees forced to stop working or work remotely because of the virus said that fear of getting sick at work would prevent their return. While federal labor and employment laws do not generally require an employer to retain an employee who fears returning to work, the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) may provide some protections for employees who are reluctant to return to work because of possible exposure to COVID-19. Occupational Safety and Health Act The OSH Act requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to their employees. The statute authorizes the Secretary of Labor to issue occupational safety or h