Occupational safety and health protections
In general
29 U.S.C. 654Each employing office and each covered employee shall comply with the provisions of section 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 ().
Definitions
Remedy
29 U.S.C. 662(a)The remedy for a violation of subsection (a) shall be an order to correct the violation, including such order as would be appropriate if issued under section 13(a) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 ().
Procedures
Requests for inspections
29 U.S.C. 657(a)Upon written request of any employing office or covered employee, the General Counsel shall exercise the authorities granted to the Secretary of Labor by subsections (a), (d), (e), and (f) of section 8 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (, (d), (e), and (f)) to inspect and investigate places of employment under the jurisdiction of employing offices.
Citations, notices, and notifications
Hearings and review
section 1405 of this titlesection 1406 of this titleIf after issuing a citation or notification, the General Counsel determines that a violation has not been corrected, the General Counsel may file a complaint with the Office against the employing office named in the citation or notification. The complaint shall be submitted to a hearing officer for decision pursuant to subsections (b) through (h) of , subject to review by the Board pursuant to .
Variance procedures
29 U.S.C. 655(b)(6)section 1405 of this titlesection 1406 of this titleAn employing office may request from the Board an order granting a variance from a standard made applicable by this section. For the purposes of this section, the Board shall exercise the authorities granted to the Secretary of Labor in sections 6(b)(6) and 6(d) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 ( and 655(d)) to act on any employing office’s request for a variance. The Board shall refer the matter to a hearing officer pursuant to subsections (b) through (h) of , subject to review by the Board pursuant to .
Judicial review
section 1407 of this titleThe General Counsel or employing office aggrieved by a final decision of the Board under paragraph (3) or (4), may file a petition for review with the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit pursuant to .
Compliance date
If new appropriated funds are necessary to correct a violation of subsection (a) for which a citation is issued, or to comply with an order requiring correction of such a violation, correction or compliance shall take place as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the citation is issued or the order requiring correction becomes final and not subject to further review.
Regulations to implement section
In general
section 1384 of this titleThe Board shall, pursuant to , issue regulations to implement this section.
Agency regulations
The regulations issued under paragraph (1) shall be the same as substantive regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Labor to implement the statutory provisions referred to in subsection (a) except to the extent that the Board may determine, for good cause shown and stated together with the regulation, that a modification of such regulations would be more effective for the implementation of the rights and protections under this section.
Employing office responsible for correction
The regulations issued under paragraph (1) shall include a method of identifying, for purposes of this section and for different categories of violations of subsection (a), the employing office responsible for correction of a particular violation.
Periodic inspections; report to Congress
Periodic inspections
On a regular basis, and at least once each Congress, the General Counsel, exercising the same authorities of the Secretary of Labor as under subsection (c)(1), shall conduct periodic inspections of all facilities of the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services, the Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the Office of the Attending Physician, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, the Office of Technology Assessment, the Library of Congress, and the Government Accountability Office to report on compliance with subsection (a).
Report
Action after report
If a report identifies any violation of this section, the General Counsel shall issue a citation or notice in accordance with subsection (c)(2)(A).
Detailed personnel
The Secretary of Labor may, on request of the Executive Director, detail to the Office such personnel as may be necessary to advise and assist the Office in carrying out its duties under this section.
Initial period for study and corrective action
The period from , until , shall be available to the Office of the Architect of the Capitol and other employing offices to identify any violations of subsection (a), to determine the costs of compliance, and to take any necessary corrective action to abate any violations. The Office shall assist the Office of the Architect of the Capitol and other employing offices by arranging for inspections and other technical assistance at their request. Prior to , the General Counsel shall conduct a thorough inspection under subsection (e)(1) and shall submit the report under subsection (e)(2) for the One Hundred Fourth Congress.
Effective date
In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), subsections (a), (b), (c), and (e)(3) shall be effective on .
Government Accountability Office and Library of Congress
section 1371 of this titleThis section shall be effective with respect to the Government Accountability Office and the Library of Congress 1 year after transmission to the Congress of the study under .
Pub. L. 104–1, title II, § 215109 Stat. 16Pub. L. 108–271, § 8(b)118 Stat. 814Pub. L. 110–437, title IV, § 422(b)(4)122 Stat. 4996Pub. L. 115–141, div. I, title I, § 153(a)(2)(D)132 Stat. 785Pub. L. 115–397, title III, § 308(b)(9)132 Stat. 5326(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Pub. L. 91–59684 Stat. 1590section 651 of Title 29The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is , , , which is classified principally to chapter 15 (§ 651 et seq.) of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
Amendments
Pub. L. 115–141, § 153(a)(2)(D)(i)2018—Subsec. (a)(2)(C). , struck out “, the Library of Congress,” after “the Government Accountability Office”.
Pub. L. 115–141, § 153(a)(2)(D)(ii)Subsec. (a)(2)(D). , struck out “and the Library of Congress” after “the Government Accountability Office”.
Pub. L. 115–397Subsec. (e)(1). substituted “Office of Congressional Workplace Rights” for “Office of Compliance”.
Pub. L. 110–4372008—Subsec. (e)(1). substituted “the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services,” for “the Capitol Guide Service,”.
Pub. L. 108–2712004—Subsecs. (a)(2)(C), (D), (e)(1) . substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office”.
Pub. L. 108–271Subsec. (g)(2). substituted “Government Accountability Office” for “General Accounting Office” in heading and text.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Pub. L. 115–397section 308(d) of Pub. L. 115–397section 1381 of this titleAmendment by effective , and any reference to the Office of Compliance in any law, rule, regulation, or other official paper in effect as of such date to be considered to refer and apply to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, see , set out as a note under .
Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Pub. L. 110–437section 2241 of this titlesection 422(d) of Pub. L. 110–437section 1301 of this titleAmendment by effective first day of first pay period (applicable to employees transferred under ) on or after 30 days after , see , set out as a note under .