OSHA Targets Employer Rate-Based Incentive Programs As Whistleblower Issue

OSHA chief David Michaels says incentive programs to keep reported injuries low at work sites -- including employers using so-called rate-based incentives that reward workers depending on low reporting figures -- is a key concern for the agency as it continues efforts to better enforce whistleblower protection statutes. The agency previously detailed a controversial policy suggesting that such rate-based programs can effectively undermine workers' rights to voice concerns about workplace hazards.