AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- THE TRADES WORKER JUSTICE AND SAFETY ACT (Establishes the trades worker justice and safety act to help provide workers with a workplace free from harassment, discrimination, intimidation, bullying, abuse and retaliation.)

H8331

2026 -- H 8331
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LC003730
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- THE TRADES WORKER JUSTICE
AND SAFETY ACT

Introduced By:
Representatives Morales, Potter, Voas, Cruz, and Tanzi

Date Introduced:
March 20, 2026

Referred To:
House Labor
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Legislative findings.
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The General Assembly finds and declares:
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(1) All construction workers have the right to a workplace free from harassment,
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discrimination, intimidation, bullying, abuse, and retaliation.
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(2) Women, tradeswomen, workers of color, LGBTQ+ workers, immigrants, and other
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marginalized groups experience disproportionate rates of job-site hostility and workplace violence.
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(3) The tragic death of Yinka A. Awodumila, a laborer in Rhode Island, demonstrates
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systemic failures in responding to hostile job sites, retaliation, and worker mental health crises.
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(4) Rhode Island must establish comprehensive, enforceable protections that ensure no
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worker’s plea for safety is ignored and that every worker is given dignity, protection, and respect.
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(5) These protections shall cover all construction sites including private projects, public
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projects, municipal and city-funded projects, school district projects, state-funded projects,
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federally funded projects, and any project permitted, contracted, or overseen by the Rhode Island
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Department of Labor and Training (RIDLT), the Rhode Island Department of Transportation
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(RIDOT), or any other state agency.
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(6) A statewide system utilizing “Safe From Hate” best practices, independent oversight,
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mental health protections, women’s restroom standards, whistleblower protections, and zero-
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tolerance harassment policies is essential to the safety and dignity of construction workers.

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(7) A neutral, worker-first Ombudsman is necessary to ensure accountability free from
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union, contractor, employer, or agency interference.
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SECTION 2. Title 28 of the General Laws entitled "LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS"
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is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 61
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THE TRADES WORKER JUSTICE AND SAFETY ACT
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28-61-1. Definitions.

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For purposes of this chapter:
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(1) "Construction site" means any location within Rhode Island where construction,
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demolition, alteration, excavation, highway or bridge work, utility work, or related labor occurs
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including, but not limited to:
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(i) Private construction sites;
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(ii) Public construction sites;
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(iii) Municipal or city-funded projects;
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(iv) State-funded projects;
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(v) Federally funded or federally assisted projects;
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(vi) School district, university, or public agency projects;
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(vii) Any site governed, contracted, permitted, or overseen by the Rhode Island department
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of labor and training (RIDLT);
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(viii) Any site governed, contracted, permitted, or overseen by the Rhode Island department
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of transportation (RIDOT); and
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(ix) Any site regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or
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any state licensing authority.
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(2) "Harassment or bullying" means unwelcome verbal, physical, visual, written, or digital
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conduct that creates a hostile, intimidating, discriminatory, humiliating, retaliatory, or offensive
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work environment including, but not limited to:
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(i) Gender-based harassment;
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(ii) Sexual harassment;
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(iii) Racial or ethnic harassment;
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(iv) Threats, slurs, intimidation, or sabotage; and
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(v) Retaliation for reporting safety or misconduct.
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(3) "Whistleblower" means a worker who reports unsafe conditions, discrimination,
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harassment, fraud, retaliation, wage violations, misconduct, violence, or mental-health-related
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concerns.

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(4) "Ombudsman" means a neutral, state-appointed official empowered to receive,
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investigate, and resolve worker concerns independently from unions, contractors, employers, or
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agencies.
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28-61-2. Safe and equitable facilities mandate.

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(a) All construction sites shall provide regulated, dedicated women’s restrooms that are:
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(1) Separate, private, fully enclosed, and lockable;
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(2) Sanitary and clearly labeled;
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(3) Maintained daily with cleaning logs;
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(4) Equipped with functioning locks, proper lighting, menstrual products, and covered trash
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receptacles; and
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(5) Located within a reasonable distance of the work area.
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(b) Inspections of construction sites to verify compliance with subsection (a) of this section
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shall be conducted at least once every thirty (30) days by one or more of the following entities:
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(1) RIDLT;
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(2) RIDOT;
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(3) OSHA;
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(4) The ombudsman’s office; or
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(5) Municipal inspectors.
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(c) Failure to comply with subsection (a) of this section shall result in:
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(1) Mandatory fines;
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(2) Written corrective action plans; and
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(3) Stop-work orders for repeat violations.
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28-61-3. Zero-tolerance jobsite harassment standard.

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(a) The following conduct is prohibited on all construction sites:
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(1) Sexual harassment;
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(2) Gender-based harassment;
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(3) Bullying or intimidation;
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(4) Racial, ethnic, or religious harassment;
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(5) Threats, slurs, or degrading remarks;
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(6) Tool sabotage or work sabotage; and
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(7) Retaliation of any kind.
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(b) Any individual who engages in prohibited conduct under subsection (a) of this section
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shall be immediately removed from the job site pending investigation.
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(c) Incidents of prohibited conduct must be reported to:

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(1) The employer;
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(2) RIDLT;
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(3) RIDOT (if the project is under RIDOT jurisdiction); and
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(4) The ombudsman.
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(d) Failure to report incidents as required under subsection (c) of this section shall result in
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employer penalties.
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(e) The director of RIDLT shall promulgate rules and regulations relative to the prohibited
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conduct under this section and what constitutes a violation thereof.
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28-61-4. Whistleblower protection and non-retaliation.

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(a) Whistleblower protections under this chapter shall be undeniable and non-waivable.
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(b) Protected activities include reporting on the following:
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(1) Hazards;
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(2) Harassment or bullying;
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(3) Discrimination;
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(4) Mental health emergencies;
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(5) Violence or threats; and
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(6) Wrongdoing by supervisors, contractors, or union officials.
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(c) Retaliation against whistleblowers is prohibited including, but not limited to:
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(1) Termination, suspension, demotion, or removal from work or committees;
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(2) Blacklisting or removal from future jobs;
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(3) Reduction of hours or overtime;
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(4) Negative evaluations;
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(5) Hostile assignments;
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(6) Threats, intimidation, or slander.
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(d) Remedies for violations include:
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(1) Reinstatement;
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(2) Treble damages;
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(3) Attorneys’ fees; and
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(4) Expedited ombudsman review under this chapter.
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28-61-5. "Safe From Hate" compliance standards.

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(a) Rhode Island hereby adopts the U.S. Department of Labor’s Safe from Hate best
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practices.
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(b) All contractors, subcontractors, unions, and employers shall implement:
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(1) Mandatory ongoing anti-harassment training;

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(2) Respect- and safety-based new hire orientation;
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(3) Posting of worker rights and reporting channels in union halls, contractor offices,
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jobsite entrances, and other visible locations;
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(4) Ongoing crew-level safety and mental health check-ins; and
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(5) Supervisor and leadership accountability for inaction.
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(c) The requirements of this section apply to all state-funded construction projects, public
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works, and all contractors and subcontractors bidding on state or RIDOT contracts.
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28-61-6. Rhode Island ombudsman for construction worker safety and equity.

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(a) There is hereby established within RIDLT an independent ombudsman’s office.
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(b) The ombudsman shall:
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(1) Receive confidential or anonymous complaints;
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(2) Investigate harassment, retaliation, and safety concerns;
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(3) Issue binding corrective recommendations;
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(4) Require employers or contractors to take corrective action;
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(5) Refer cases to OSHA, RIDLT, RIDOT, or the attorney general as appropriate;
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(6) Track statewide patterns of job-site hostility;
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(7) Publish annual reports (protecting worker identities); and
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(8) Conduct unannounced jobsite inspections.
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(c) Workers may contact the ombudsman via:
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(1) 24/7 hotline;
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(2) Anonymous text hotline;
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(3) Online reporting portal;
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(4) Private on-site interviews.
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(d) The ombudsman shall not:
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(1) Be a union member or have an immediate family member in any union;
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(2) Have worked for a contractor, employer, or union within five (5) years prior to
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appointment; and
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(3) Be influenced by employer associations or agency leadership.
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28-61-7. Enforcement and penalties.

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(a) Violators including contractors, subcontractors, employers, or unions shall be subject
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to enforcement of the provisions of this chapter by the attorney general and/or RIDLT to include,
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but not be limited to:
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(1) Fines ranging from five thousand dollars ($5,000) to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)
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per violation;

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(2) Mandatory corrective action plans;
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(3) Public posting of violations;
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(4) Suspension from eligibility for state and RIDOT contracts; and
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(5) Stop-work orders for severe or repeated violations.
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(b) Supervisors, foremen, stewards, and management who fail to act may face:
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(1) Personal fines;
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(2) Removal from supervisory duties; and
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(3) Criminal referral for willful negligence.
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28-61-8. Mental health protections.

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Employers shall:
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(1) Provide mental health crisis resource cards listing immediate support options;
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(2) Offer access to employee assistance programs (EAP);
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(3) Immediately contact emergency services when a worker expresses a crisis; and
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(4) Notify the ombudsman of any mental health crisis within twenty-four (24) hours.
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28-61-9. Reporting, training, and public transparency.

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(a) The ombudsman shall publish on the RIDLT website:
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(1) Annual statewide reports;
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(2) Harassment and retaliation data;
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(3) Women’s restroom compliance records;
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(4) Training completion logs; and
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(5) Contractor compliance scores.
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(b) Employers shall post at all jobsite entrances:
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(1) Worker rights;
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(2) Zero-tolerance policy;
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(3) Whistleblower protections; and
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(4) Ombudsman contact information.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- THE TRADES WORKER JUSTICE
AND SAFETY ACT
***
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This act would establish the trades worker justice and safety act to help provide workers
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with a workplace free from harassment, discrimination, intimidation, bullying, abuse and
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retaliation.
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This act would take effect on January 1, 2027.
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