Ensuring Safe and Productive Workplaces

The laws, regulations, and programs designed to provide protections for workers may need to be revised to reflect significant changes in the demographics of the U.S. workforce and changes in the nature of work itself. Now more than ever, it is important to find the right balance between ensuring the safety and health of workers and employers' needs to increase productivity in an increasingly competitive global environment.

• Industries such as construction, home health care, food services, and meat and poultry processing have had large increases in the number of immigrant workers, and membership in organized labor has declined. In addition, some industries, such as construction and mining, face inherent long-term challenges that threaten the safety and health of workers. Injury and illness rates for most industries have declined in recent years, but work-related fatalities in some groups and industries have risen.
  
  Highlights of GAO-08-424 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-05-96 (PDF)
• The employer/employee relationship defined in the Fair Labor Standards Act enacted in 1938 does not cover workers classified as independent contractors or many workers in temporary employment arrangements. These workers are employed in a wide range of industries and occupations and compose almost one-third of the total workforce.
  
  Highlights of GAO-08-962T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-859T (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

• To better plan and conduct Fair Labor Standards Act compliance activities, Labor should evaluate data on complaints filed by workers; obtain and use input from external stakeholders in its planning efforts; incorporate data from its studies in these planning efforts; and leverage existing tools as well as establish, consistently maintain, and report on its performance.
  
  Highlights of GAO-08-962T (PDF)
• To assist in preventing and responding to employee misclassification, and to increase its detection of FLSA violations, Labor should increase its focus on misclassification of employees as independent contractors during investigations by its Wage and Hour Division; ensure that information on cases involving misclassification is shared with the Internal Revenue Services; that cases outside its jurisdiction are referred to states and other relevant agencies, as required; establish a joint interagency effort with other federal and state agencies to address the misclassification of employees as independent contractors; and collaborate with the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to offer education and outreach to workers on classification rules and implications and related tax obligations.
  
  Highlights of GAO-09-717 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

Workplace Safety and Health

Workplace Safety and Health

Workplace Safety and Health

OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs

Mine Safety

Higher Education

Fair Labor Standards Act

Employee Misclassification

Black Lung Benefits Program

Aviation Safety

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