Lawrence Halprin Quoted in Bloomberg Law Article on OSHA’s Mental Health Oversight

Keller and Heckman Partner Lawrence Halprin was quoted in the Bloomberg Law article, “Fifth Circuit Puts OSHA’s Mental Health Oversight in Question.” The article examines a Fifth Circuit decision that struck down the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) requirement for employers to record work-related mental illnesses, with supporters arguing the agency lacks clear congressional authority to regulate workplace mental health and critics warning the ruling further limits OSHA’s ability to address modern workplace risks.

Lawrence said OSHA “wasn’t doing much in this area anyway” and emphasized that the agency still has other avenues to address mental health concerns, such as the general duty clause or new rulemaking. While calling the decision “unexpected” from a practical standpoint, Lawrence said the court “reached the right conclusion,” arguing that mental health oversight may fall outside OSHA’s expertise, could draw the agency into labor-management disputes, and might impose significant costs on employers trying to determine whether mental illnesses are work-related.

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