Jim,

Do you mind attaching to Ms. Sulik’s IQ entry on 3/28?

Thanks,

Beth

Good Afternoon, Ms. Sulik –

Your email to Governor Nikki Haley was forwarded to me for reply as the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation oversees some of our state’s labor programs.  Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with us.

Regarding the workplace temperature issues you described below, the South Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (SC OSHA) does not require employers to provide heat and air conditioning; however, SC OSHA does recommend temperature control in the range of 68-76°F.  The merits of good indoor air quality (IAQ) should include comfortable temperature and humidity, adequate supply of fresh outdoor air and control of pollutants from inside and outside the building.  Employers are responsible for protecting their employees from extreme heat as heat illness can be deadly.  Please find attached OSHA’s heat stress card for your reference.

SC OSHA would like to contact your employer about these heat stress issues.  Please forward your company’s name, physical address and corporate mailing address to our office by emailing betty.harmon@llr.sc.gov.  

Regarding worktime breaks and overtime pay, current South Carolina law does not require employers to provide work breaks and overtime pay is regulated through federal law.  I recommend contacting the US Department of Labor at 803-765-5981 to possibly address these two issues.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Rebeca

Rebecca G. Leach  ǀ  Director, Business and Governmental Affairs

South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

Synergy Business Park  ǀ  Kingstree Building  ǀ  110 Centerview Drive  ǀ  Columbia, SC  29210

Post Office Box 11329  ǀ  Columbia, SC  29211

Telephone: 803.896.4440  ǀ  Cellphone: 803.360.1794  ǀ  Rebecca.Leach@llr.sc.gov

I would like for you to look over the labor laws and see how unfair they are and dangerous. We need mandatory breaks and overtime pay. Like working 50+ hours and getting no overtime and only a 30min lunch break with no other breaks in between. We need a law that says a place of work can't be too hot or cold. Like working in a warehouse that gets up to 100 degrees and they have no proper form of cooling the place down but tiny fans that just moves the hot air so you leave the place drenched in sweat. Please look over the laws. Don't let us suffer to work.

Ms. Priscilla Sulik

priscilla981@hotmail.com