Title: Effects of social, economic, and labor policies on occupational health disparities.

Authors: Siqueira, Carlos Eduardo; Gaydos, Megan; Monforton, Celeste; Slatin, Craig; Borkowski, Liz; Dooley, Peter; Liebman, Amy; Rosenberg, Erica; Shor, Glenn; Keifer, Matthew

Published In Am J Ind Med, (2014 May)

Abstract: This article introduces some key labor, economic, and social policies that historically and currently impact occupational health disparities in the United States.We conducted a broad review of the peer-reviewed and gray literature on the effects of social, economic, and labor policies on occupational health disparities.Many populations such as tipped workers, public employees, immigrant workers, and misclassified workers are not protected by current laws and policies, including worker's compensation or Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement of standards. Local and state initiatives, such as living wage laws and community benefit agreements, as well as multiagency law enforcement contribute to reducing occupational health disparities.There is a need to build coalitions and collaborations to command the resources necessary to identify, and then reduce and eliminate occupational disparities by establishing healthy, safe, and just work for all.

PubMed ID: 23606055

MeSH Terms: Health Policy/legislation & jurisprudence; Health Status Disparities*; Humans; Occupational Health*; Public Policy/legislation & jurisprudence*; Salaries and Fringe Benefits/legislation & jurisprudence; United States; United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration/legislation & jurisprudence; Workers' Compensation/legislation & jurisprudence