WASHINGTON, D.C. — Attorneys general from six states have filed a lawsuit to try and halt the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) new rule regarding employer's public reporting of workplace injuries and illness from being implemented.
According to an Illinois Attorney General's Office March 7 news release, the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges OSHA's repeal of its 2016 reporting requirements is "illegal and unjustified." The coalition argues that OSHA claims of rolling back the rule to protect worker privacy is not justified and that under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the agency must "provide a reasoned explanation" in order to adopt new rules.
“The 2016 requirements have helped improve workplace safety, which benefits everyone,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. “Having sound data on workplace injuries allows employers to improve safety, which could reduce costs in defending workers’ compensation claims.”
The coalition notes in its argument that OSHA alleged the electronic reporting requirements were "vital" and would help the agency and states decrease work place hazards before they resulted in employee injury and illness.
The coalition includes Raoul and the attorneys general of Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey and New York.