Sweltering summer heat might have been more bearable for outdoor workers in Miami-Dade County under a proposal that suggested mandated breaks in the shade on the hottest days – but Florida said no.
The county’s proposal to establish heat rules for workers has been preempted by a new law: Florida has joined Texas in banning such local rules for outdoor workers. Meanwhile, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington have passed laws giving more protections to construction workers who work in extreme heat.
Florida’s new law has frustrated and angered some experts and advocates for construction workers and farmworkers. As summers get hotter over the years, outdoor workers will need more protections, not fewer, said Luigi Guadarrama, political director of Sierra Club Florida said.
The law will primarily affect low-income workers of color, Guadarrama said: “Currently, the state legislature has no interest in protecting workers."
Other advocates also say more protections for outdoor workers are needed.
Yeah, I was born in Orange County, and lived in NE Florida for most of my childhood and college years. Well, north central Florida for the college years I guess, but we still got Jags games.
I was also born in Orange county, and grew up in Osceola. We got Bucs games. I moved to Minnesota for college (or rather I used college as an easy way to escape Florida), definitely a downgrade on the football team but at least they’re not the Jags, lol.