Recently, WorkCompCentral Workers’ Compensation and American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds announced the federal government’s launch of the Worker Endangerment Initiative. This new program combines the prosecution of employer workplace safety and environmental violations. Often, employers who criminally violate the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), are also violating environmental laws at the same time. The initiative includes data sharing, joint investigations and streamlining the criminal referral program. The goal is to make it easier to prosecute environmental violations.

For one, the Environmental Crimes Section will be able to prosecute not only traditional environmental crimes, but also OSHA violations and other workers’ safety statutes. With this initiative, an employer can be charged with workplace safety violations, environmental law violations, and related offenses such as obstruction of justice and making false statements, in the same case. This will allow prosecutors to combine what would have been several cases into one, and make it more efficient to prosecute employers.

If you have been injured on the job, an attorney can help protect your rights. The Law Offices of McIntyre, Donohue, Accardi, Salmonson, & Riordan, LLP handles workers’ compensation claims throughout the five boroughs of New York City, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, in addition to both Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. Call (866) 557-7500 for a consultation.