Philadelphia’s city council unanimously approved a bill last week that will make it illegal for employers to fire, discipline, or otherwise retaliate against workers who speak up about unsafe coronavirus conditions. The bill, which made it through the city counsel’s legislative process in a month, came out of a coalition of union and nonunion worker groups who were lobbying for pandemic worker protections. More than two dozen labor groups supported the bill.

New Jersey’s state legislature has passed one bill prohibiting employers from taking adverse action against employees who take time off due to the virus and is considering a retaliation bill similar to that passed on Philadelphia, which is backed by worker center Make the Road New Jersey.

There is a federal law that, in theory, already prohibits retaliation against workers who call out unsafe conditions. Unfortunately, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) has a poor track record of handling such complaints and protecting workers.

So far, I am unaware of any similar protections being contemplated at the state or city level in Texas.