News and Media

The Rutgers Center for Public Health Workforce Development is happy to offer a new online training program – Opioids in the Workplace: Awareness. This one-hour training is free, entirely web based and can be accessed anytime via internet browser. This training was developed based on the NIEHS Worker Training Program’s Opioids and the Workplace Training Tool.

This course is designed for all working people, especially workers and employers who may be impacted by the opioid crisis, and provides an evidence-based worker training program. Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the scope and severity of the opioid crisis.

• Summarize the relationship between workplace injuries and illnesses, working conditions and opioid use disorder.

• List actions that might be taken at the workplace to prevent and respond to opioid use and misuse.

This training is web based and self-paced, it can be started at any time (please note once you begin, you must complete the training without exiting the page). At the end of the training, participants will receive a certificate of completion.

Access the training at https://go.rutgers.edu/OpioidTraining

Statement from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler on the Department of Labor’s proposed rule to expand employee classification:

Today, the Biden administration once again delivered on its promise to put working people first. By restoring commonsense rules to determine who is an employee, and making it harder for employers to intentionally misclassify their employees as independent contractors, the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) announcement will increase protections and expand benefits to so many working people who have been subjected to corporate work-arounds. Too many companies put profits over people, intentionally misclassifying their workers as contractors to avoid providing the pay, overtime, workplace rights and benefits that employees are due under labor and employment laws. This proposed rule will ensure DOL has the tools to protect employees against the current and escalating problem of misclassification. 

While today’s announcement is a major step forward, we know there is still so much more to do to make our economy more fair and equitable. The AFL-CIO and its allies will continue to push for legislation and regulations to give workers the rights they deserve. 

And so much is at stake. Anti-worker politicians are fighting tooth and nail to retake Congress, but working people are pushing back at the ballot box.

Make sure you're registered to vote before your state's deadline by visiting vote.org's registration deadline database today. 

Wondering how to help in the meantime? We're mobilizing members across the U.S. to talk with union siblings about pro-worker candidates in their districts.