NEWS: Rep. Schiff Introduces Language Access for Workers Act to Improve Translation Services for Employees
Washington, D.C.— Today, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the Language Access for Workers Act, which would help alleviate the language barriers many workers face in the workplace that make it difficult for them to receive the critical occupational training, risk assessments, and health services they need to safely do their jobs. For farm workers and other frontline workers in the service industry who handle hazardous materials, fully understanding the risks and their rights is crucial. The bill would amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to add language translation requirements and introduce a competitive grant program under the Department of Labor (DOL) to allow non-profit and for-profit organizations and government agencies to provide language access and translation services directly to employees.
“Farmworkers, service industry workers, and other employees working with hazardous materials deserve the right to clearly understand what they are exposed to and ensure they understand their rights in a language that is accessible to them,” said Rep. Schiff. “Changing our outdated language requirements and launching a federal grant program would be a major step in bridging that gap for all workers in our country, from farmworkers to service workers and beyond.”
“Every day, farm workers across America face great risks of exposure to hazardous materials and dangerous pesticides,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “Yet, many of these workers don’t have access to basic safety information due to language barriers. The lack of OSHA requirements is a major safety risk, and this legislation will be a major step in the right direction to ensure all workers can understand the risks they face when working with pesticides and do their essential jobs with safety and dignity.”
“For decades, immigrants have contributed significantly to our communities and our economy as essential workers, including teachers, nurses, technicians, construction workers, and farm workers. With over 800,000 farm workers ensuring America's food stock is plentiful, it is imperative that we provide the most basic services to these workers in their own language. This bill, would do just that and we applaud Representative Schiff for introducing a bill that would provide critical support for workers' access to translation services," said Angelica Salas, Executive Director of Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Specifically, Schiff’s Language Access for Workers Act would:
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Amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to add language translation requirements.
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Create a competitive grant program to provide critical support for workers' access to translation services. This grant program will allow employers and non-profit organizations access to funding to help provide language access and translation services directly to employees. The eligible entities for this grant program include:
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Organizations or employers located in states with a high population of migrant employees.
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Organizations or employers that serve a membership where over 40 percent of their recipients speak a language other than English.
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Populations that include employees in the agricultural and service industries.
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Schiff’s Language Access for Workers Act is supported by the United Farm Workers, the United Auto Workers, and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
The legislation is co-sponsored by Rep. Andre Carson (D-Indiana), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. Dan Goldman (D-New York), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-New York).
To read the full bill text, click HERE.
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