The Trump Admin Paused a Workplace Safety Council Established Under Federal Law

The indefinite stop-work order was news to the Republican chair of the subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions. “We’ve got to be notified, and we’ve got to follow the law,” Rep. Rick Allen said.

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Protesters rallied against Elon Musk outside the U.S. Department of Labor. Jose Luis Magana/AP

The Trump administration has told a council of agency heads and union leaders established under federal law to help prevent and reduce workplace injuries that it can no longer meet, according to an email to members obtained by NOTUS.

The directive is yet another move from the Trump administration to consolidate the power of political appointees in the executive branch, which experts say enters a legal gray area.

President Donald Trump’s Department of Labor issued a memo putting a pause on the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health’s activities indefinitely, according to the email circulated to its members. The council is intended to give recommendations to the secretary of labor and help develop and maintain programs across agencies to keep workers safe on the job.