Occupational safety and health: employee refusal to perform hazardous tasks.

Assembly Member Sharp-Collins' workplace safety legislation expands California employees' rights to refuse hazardous work tasks while maintaining their wages. The proposed changes to the Labor Code establish specific conditions under which employees can decline assignments they reasonably believe could result in injury or illness.

Under the bill's provisions, employees must first attempt to notify their employer about safety concerns and allow for a response addressing those concerns. If employers fail to adequately address the risks, employees can refuse the task while continuing to receive full wages until the hazard is eliminated or they are assigned alternative safe work. The legislation defines injuries and illnesses broadly, encompassing both acute conditions like cuts and fractures as well as chronic issues such as respiratory disorders and heat illness.

The measure prohibits employers from taking disciplinary action against employees who refuse hazardous tasks under these guidelines. Employees who face retaliation or wage losses due to exercising these rights would gain explicit legal pathways to recover lost pay. The bill also removes current language specifically including domestic workers in these protections, potentially affecting their coverage under the new provisions.