Amazon workers’ attempt at unionization

The workers’ comp lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys examine the attempt at unionization made by Amazon workers

From the summer of 2020, Amazon has been in the middle of a spirited unionization effort from some of the workers at its Bessemer, Alabama warehouse. Through the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) the employees staged protests that have been largely online and through the phone because of the pandemic. 

The organizers were hoping these protests would yield the same results that pushed for the unionization of employees in high-profile companies in the U.S. and were hoping for similar results for Amazon’s Alabama warehouse.

As Amazon, Chewy, and other warehouses continue to crop up across the Lehigh Valley and throughout our region, it is worth understanding how unionization efforts unfold for Amazon workers.

The push for unionization: how it all began 

The push for unionization started after a small group of workers at the company’s Bessemer Alabama warehouse went to the local branch of the retail workers’ […]

Does Workers’ Compensation Cover Seasonal Workers?

Does Workers’ Compensation Cover Seasonal Workers?

Businesses supplement their staff in peak seasons like summertime and winter holidays by hiring seasonal employees. As the workforce grows, coverage requirements evolve, including workers’ comp seasonal employees’ demands.

The Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act doesn’t give a clear distinction between full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees. Some employers provide more benefits to full-time staff than other workers.

So, what happens if you are a short-term employee and you sustain a work-related injury or illness? This post explains how the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act protects seasonal workers.

Workers’ Compensation Coverage for Seasonal Employees

Pennsylvania worker’s compensation covers nearly all workers, including part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees. Employers like corporations, nonprofits, unincorporated businesses, and even entities with just one employee must provide workers’ compensation coverage.

However, […]

What is the leading cause of workplace fatalities?

The leading cause of work-related fatalities

Overwhelmingly, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of workplace fatalities in the U.S. Car and truck crashes account for 40% of job-related deaths each year, according to the National Safety Council. Motor vehicle accidents are the #1 or #2 cause of job-related death across all industry groups.

Motor vehicle workplace deaths by industry

All workers can be at risk of a fatal work-related crash, whether or not driving is a major part of their job duties. Of course, some industries are more prone than others. Not surprisingly, workers who drive a vehicle as a primary part of their job including truck drivers, delivery drivers, and first responders face the highest risk. Consider the fact that one in three long-haul truck drivers have experienced a serious crash during their career. Motor vehicle accidents were responsible for half of workplace fatalities in the gas and oil extraction industry and 46% of work-related deaths for EMS first responders. […]

Construction workers say productivity trumps safety

In America’s deadliest industry, construction workers say safety takes a back seat

A recent National Safety Council survey found that more than half of construction workers (58%) perceive that safety takes a back seat to productivity on their job sites.

To gauge employee perceptions about workplace safety, the NSC interviewed 2,000 American workers across 14 industries.

Of construction workers surveyed, 51% say management does the bare minimum when it comes to safety; 47% say they’d feel afraid to report a safety issue. These numbers are alarming, especially considering the fact that construction has more workplace fatalities than any other industry in the U.S.

No worker should feel stuck between losing their job, or losing their life. Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health said,“When workers can’t speak up, […]

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer warns of the health risk of shift work

The National Sleep Foundation defines as shift worker as anyone who follows a work schedule outside of the typical 9 to 5 business day. Millions of Americans are considered shift workers, including doctors and nurses, pilots, police officers, customer service reps and commercial drivers among others.

According to WebMD, there are about 8.6 million people performing shift work in the U.S., either through rotating shifts during the week, or working a night job. WebMD quoted a neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School as saying that there is strong evidence that shift work is related to a number of serious health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Shift work has also been linked to ulcers and other stomach problems, as well as depression and an increased risk of accidents or injury.

Shift Workers and Fatigue

One of the most serious problems shift workers face is frequent sleep disturbance that results in excessive sleepiness and fatigue. […]