• Employees may not be discriminated against for raising concerns about COVID-19 infection control in their workplaces.

Employers should implement protections from retaliation and set up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19-related hazards. Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act prohibits discharging or in any other way discriminating against an employee for engaging in various occupational safety and health activities. Examples of violations of Section 11(c) could include discriminating against employees for raising a reasonable concern about infection control related to COVID-19 to the employer, the employer’s agent, other employees, a government agency, or to the public, such as through print, online, social, or any other media; or against an employee for voluntarily providing and safely wearing their own personal protective equipment (PPE), such as a respirator, face shield, gloves, or surgical mask.

In addition to notifying workers of their rights to a safe and healthful work environment, employers should ensure that workers know whom to contact with questions or concerns about workplace safety and health, and that there are prohibitions against retaliation for raising workplace safety and health concerns or engaging in other protected occupational safety and health activities; also consider using a hotline or other method for workers to voice concerns anonymously