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Proposed Federal Regulations to Protect Workers From the Heat
Corporations are opposing them as too costly
Let’s take a break from the will he or won’t he … we know that he will, he just needs time to come to terms with dropping out of the race … and talk about why it is necessary for the federal government to impose national regulations that will require employers to treat their employees like human beings during heat waves. Heat waves that will only grow more frequent and more intense thanks to climate change.
A little background first. Both Texas Governor Greg Abbott (it’s always Texas) and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have imposed regulations in their own states that forbid local governments from forcing local businesses to protect their workers from the heat.
Yes, you read that right. In both Florida and Texas, it is illegal for a county or municipality to require businesses to provide any kind of respite from the heat for their workers.
And why are they doing such an inhumane thing? Because it is too costly for corporations to provide breaks, shade and water for their employees.
How much do you want to bet that these decisions were made in comfortably air-conditioned offices with plenty of ice water on hand?
