Announcing the Workers' Rights Initiative in Honor of Labor Day 2024

This Labor Day the Office of Labor Compliance and Worker Protection (OLCWP) is announcing the Workers’ Rights Initiative to provide workers with the information and resources they need to protect themselves on the job.

Workers in the City of Boston, especially young, LGBTQA+, and immigrant workers, face various injustices including wage theft, discrimination, and unsafe or unhealthy working conditions. Regardless of immigration status, workers have legal protections about which many are unaware. When workers know their rights, they can exercise those rights which in turn leads to an equitable, empowered workforce. Here is how we plan to help.

Educating and Empowering Workers through "Know Your Rights" Trainings, Workers' Rights Webinars, and Workers Rights Clinics

The OLCWP is partnering with local worker centers to provide in-person "Know Your Rights" trainings at locations that are convenient and accessible to workers. In addition to English, the trainings will be offered in Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, and Haitian Creole to ensure that workers can participate in their native language. Residents will also have the option to request interpretation in additional languages at no cost. The office will also be hosting six webinars on key issues affecting workers: New Rights for Uber/Lyft Workers, Immigrant Workers’ Rights, Youth Workers’ Rights, Domestic Workers’ Rights, Discrimination and Harassment, and Rights of Workers with Disabilities.

Lastly, the OLCWP will host five Workers' Rights Clinics in different neighborhoods across Boston in partnership with local worker centers, resource partners, and other government agencies. Workers who attend these clinics can get answers to their individual labor rights questions and obtain referrals and representation in labor violation cases including, but not limited to wage theft, discrimination, and health and safety issues. If applicable, immigrant workers who may be eligible for immigration legal relief (T visas, U visas, deferred action, etc.) as a result of an investigation of workplace abuses will also be able to access legal and community resources.

These outreach events will be scheduled shortly and listed online. Those interested can find that information and additional resources at boston.gov/workers-rights.

Promoting Health and Safety on Construction and Demolition Sites in Boston

The City of Boston worked diligently in partnership with developers, contractors, OSHA, labor rights advocates, and other cities to develop policies that reduce workplace injuries and fatalities in the construction industry. The culmination of that work is the City of Boston Safe Construction and Demolition Operations Ordinance. Implemented on December 1, 2023, this ordinance requires that construction and demolition sites in Boston seeking a permit with the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) must:

submit a Site Safety Plan Affidavit,
conduct safety orientations and pre-shift meetings,
and on larger projects, appoint a Site Safety Coordinator with at least OSHA 30-hour training.

Going beyond enforcement, the City has prioritized educating permit holders about their responsibilities and workers about their rights under the ordinance to ensure successful implementation and compliance. The OLCWP and ISD provide tools, resources, training, and education designed to ensure that all construction and demolition operations in Boston are conducted in a manner that protects the health, welfare, and safety of workers and the public. These resources can be found online in multiple languages at boston.gov/construction-safety.

Building on this work, the OLCWP will offer multilingual webinars on conducting a hazard assessment, creating a Site Safety Plan, and worker health and safety topics. The OLCWP will also be providing eight free OSHA 30-hour trainings in English, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese and nine free OSHA 10-hour trainings in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. These trainings are important tools for informing workers and permit holders about workplace hazards and controls so they can work more safely and remain compliant with the ordinance. The free OSHA trainings are especially valuable as they are required for workers assigned to specific roles to ensure that they can effectively perform their duties. Offering them at no cost eliminates a major barrier to entry. The trainings and webinars will be listed on the ordinance website.

To learn more about the Office of Labor Compliance and Worker Protection, visit boston.gov/labor-policy.