Workplace Safety Rights

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires employers to provide safe working conditions for employees. Whether OSHA protections apply to you depends primarily on your employment status. If you are an employee at a club or studio, or have been misclassified as an independent contractor when the actual relationship is one of employment, OSHA protections apply and your employer has legal obligations regarding workplace safety. Independent contractors fall outside traditional OSHA coverage, though some state-level protections may extend further.

What clubs and studios with employees are generally required to provide: working lighting, sanitary facilities, first aid access, a workplace free from recognized hazards, and a work environment free from illegal discrimination and harassment. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits sexual harassment in workplaces with 15 or more employees, but only for employees. If you are classified as an independent contractor, Title VII may not protect you at the federal level, though some states have extended anti-harassment protections to contractors.

If you experience unsafe conditions, harassment, or retaliation for raising safety concerns: document everything in writing with dates and specific details. For clubs with 15 or more employees, file harassment or discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180-300 days of the incident. For OSHA safety complaints, contact your state's department of labor or OSHA directly. For wage and hour violations, contact the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Many of these agencies have confidentiality protections for complainants. Retaliation for making a protected complaint is itself an illegal act.