Companion Bills in U.S. Congress Would Expand OSHA Coverage for Public Employees
A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on May 21, 2025, seeks to significantly expand the scope of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) by extending its protections to public employees at the federal, state, and local levels . The bill, titled the “ Public Service Worker Protection Act ” (PSWPA), would amend the OSH Act to include employees of the United States, states, and political subdivisions of states within its definition of “employer,” thereby affording public-sector workers the same occupational safety and health protections currently available to private-sector employees . Companion legislation ( H.R. 3139 ) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier in May. Quick Hits The legislation would amend Section 3(5) of the OSH Act to explicitly include public employees, covering federal, state, and local government workers. The amendment would take effect ninety days after the PSWPA’s enactment for most public employees. For federal OSHA workplac...