May 2022 Update: Work Shouldn’t Hurt Survey

May 21, 2022 – A critical area of the current school staffing crisis is among the employees who support the students with the highest needs. To better understand what they are facing and how to improve working conditions, OSEA launched a survey in April for special education (SPED) workers and others who work with high needs and difficult students. This survey closed on May 20, 2022. More than 2,300 represented employees responded! A summary of the results will be made available. Your responses will guide and inform our advocacy to improve laws and regulations affecting all education staff.

Work Shouldn’t Hurt

The information on this page reflects OSEA’s landmark Work Shouldn’t Hurt legal campaign started by our union in 2015 to address the toll on classified staff from difficult and sometimes dangerous student behavior. Starting with a series of investigative articles examining workplace violence involving special needs students and classified school employees, it culminated in a new law and health and safety rules that were implemented in 2018. With the current education staffing crisis and the stress of the pandemic on students and staff, this law is as relevant as ever!

Recently hired school staff may not be fully aware of their rights under this law and some administrators may not be meeting their legal obligations. Do you know what to do if you are concerned for your safety or are injured due to working with a difficult student? A lack of appropriate training and safety measures can result in bodily harm to staff, students and others.

Click here to read about the legislation and click here to learn about the changes in Oregon OSHA rules that happened in 2018 to help combat the problem.

OSEA has also developed resources to help special education assistants access their students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and report their injuries, as well as guide OSEA chapters on how to use safety committees to hold school districts accountable for ensuring safe work environments.

Below are the original series of articles that kicked off our campaign. You will hear the voices of employees who face the daily threat of violence and learn about the root causes of the problem. Contact your OSEA field representative immediately if you are concerned about your workplace safety.

Part 1: Classified speak out To this day — nearly a year after the incident — Beth can’t describe what happened to her without crying. The veteran SPED assistant was working with a student who was becoming increasingly agitated, when the teen erupted, kicking her in the head with heavy boots. Read More		Part 2: Reporting key to prevention Christopher was placed in an impossible situation. The individualized education program (IEP) for the student he was assigned said no one should be within 48 inches of the teen. Despite this, Christopher was ordered to sit next to the student while the class watched a movie. Read More
Part 3a: OSEA leads campaign OSEA and AFT will be working hard at the local, state and national levels over the coming months and years to address violence against school staff. Our coverage has garnered letters from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as the U.S. Department of Education. Read More		Part 3b: What chapters can do OSEA members have been emboldened to speak out, and AFT-Oregon and the Oregon Education Association (OEA) have joined us in seeking solutions at the state and national levels. Implementing solutions will take time, but OSEA members need not wait to act at the local level. Read More