Employees at warehouse distribution centers are some of our hardest working employees, but many of them risk injuring themselves –– or worse –– as they’re under pressure to meet quotas that measure their productivity. These quotas have an impact on employees’ health and safety, and we must ensure that all employees have a safe environment to work.

In Pennsylvania, the non-fatal injury and illness rate was approximately 11.4% for warehouse distribution centers, more than triple the rate across all industries. Even worse, some warehouse distribution centers report more than 30% more injuries than the average for the industry, falsely represent data pertaining to injuries and illnesses, and interfere when employees choose to seek out medical care for injuries and illnesses that they developed while working. With more than 1,600 warehouses that employ more than 113,000 people, we must address this issue before it worsens and therefore create better jobs that prioritize employees’ health and safety.

As such, I will be introducing legislation to protect employees’ rights, in addition to their healthy and safety by requiring warehouse distribution centers to notify employees of quotas and prevent adverse employment action or interference with breaks, and require the Department of Labor & Industry to conduct investigations if warehouse distribution centers report an annual injury rate 30% or higher than the average annual injury rate for warehouse distributions. Similar legislation is in effect in California, New York, and Washington, and it is critical that we follow those states’ lead to ensure employees at warehouse distribution centers work in an environment that does not interfere with their health, safety, and well-being.