Last Updated: 8/24/2023
Under the laws outlined by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), employers have certain responsibilities, and employees have certain rights. As a worker, it is your right to hold your employer accountable for their responsibilities – outlined on the previous page – and more.
What rights to OSHA laws are guaranteed to me as an employee?
The following rights are outlined in detail on your Iowa Workers' Compensation OSHA poster that should be available in your place of work.
- You have the right to remain confidential anytime you report a workplace hazard to your Iowa OSHA.
- If you report a safety problem to your employer, and your employer does not fix the problem, you have the right to request an OSHA inspection of your workplace.
- You have the right to retain copies of your medical records or toxicology screenings after being exposed to dangerous or toxic conditions in your workplace.
- You have the right to file a complaint with OSHA if your employer unfairly discriminates against you or otherwise retaliates against you for claiming personal injury and Workers' Compensation. The complaint must be filed within 30 days of the discrimination.
- You have the right to see your employer receive OSHA citations related to your injury. Those citations should be posted in or around your workplace for at least 3 working days following an OSHA violation.
The only caveat to these rights is that you, in turn, “comply with all occupational safety and health standards issued under the OSHA Act” as applicable to your particular job. As long as your injuries were not caused by any violation on your part, you are eligible for all benefits of the OSHA laws.
If you feel that your employer has unfairly discriminated against you or otherwise denied you your rights after you were injured, now is the time to contact an Iowa Workers' Compensation attorney.
Walker, Billingsley and Bair injury attorneys are experienced in all aspects of Workers' Compensation and applicable Iowa OSHA laws. If you have been injured on the job, nothing should stop you from getting the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation: (888) 435-9886.