On July 31 (Senate) and August 5 (House), members of Congress reintroduced their ill-conceived Warehouse Worker Protection Act (S.2613/H.R.4896), which, despite its industry-specific title, will have wide-reaching and damaging consequences for the economy at large. In response, 45 employer organizations sent a letter emphasizing the breadth of the bill’s impact and the serious consequences it would have on the economy.
The following statement can be attributed to CWS spokeswoman Lauren Williams of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors:
“The Warehouse Worker Protection Act would implement numerous provisions, forcing OSHA to administer infeasible rules on the economy, significantly curtailing business operations. The bill’s title is a misnomer, as it would impact every employer across industries.
“Further, the bill would pursue an ergonomics standard that was previously found unworkable and voided, and attempt to micromanage the warehousing and distribution industry. The bill is ill-conceived, misguided, and would devastate the economy.”