No heat

[shrensel63]

Delaware We don't have any heat. I am an office employee in an automobile sales and service shop. The mechanics have no heat in the shop. They have a kerosene heater and it ran out of kerosene. When they asked the owner for money to purchase more kerosene he said to them here's $1.00 get whatever you can until I have more money in the register. Well the guys got together and purchased more kerosene with their own money and it is going to be a headache to get reimbursed from the owner. I just looked at the thermostat in the office it reads 44 degrees. They just turned on the heat because they want to save on fuel costs. It is 25 degrees outside. Short of getting a new job, what laws must my employer follow to make this at least a comfortable working environment? I am typing this with gloves on and my winter coat on and yes I can see my breath.

 

[Beth3]

I'm not a "safety person" but I believe OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has a relevant standard on this. I also believe it's quite broad and the conditions you all are working in, while understandably extremely unpleasant, are probably within the standard.

Since I'm only giving you a marginally educated opinion here, I suggest you give OSHA a call and see what they say. Or you can see what you can find on their web site: www.osha.gov.

Don't do your research from work though.

I tend to suspect your option will be to find another job where the owner isn't a character out of a Dickens novel however.