Terri Gerstein (’95), Director of the New York University Wagner Labor Initiative, authored a guest essay for The New York Times discussing how state and local governments can act to protect workers against extreme heat absent a federal heat standard (“Workers Shouldn’t Have to Risk Their Lives in Heat Waves,” Jun. 21). “States could pass and enforce laws requiring employers to take simple measures to keep workers safe during deadly heat waves. Five states — Washington, Minnesota, California, Oregon and Colorado — have already passed such measures, establishing important legal and ethical norms for employers. Additional states — New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts — are considering heat protection legislation. More states should follow suit; if Minnesota thinks it’s necessary to protect its workers from heat, steamier states like Georgia and Arizona should, too.”
