OSHRC Gains A Quorum—Commissioners Attwood And Laihow Sworn Into Office

On January 22, 2020, Cynthia Attwood and Amanda Wood Laihow were sworn in to serve their respective appointments as commissioners of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). The U.S. Senate confirmed both of Donald J. Trump's nominees by voice vote on January 9, 2020. Commissioners Attwood and Laihow will serve alongside OSHRC's current chair, James J. Sullivan, Jr.

Chairman Sullivan said in a statement that he "welcomed the return of a full complement of Review Commission members."

The Commission is a three-member body and requires at least two commissioners (a quorum) to decide cases. Since April of 2019, Sullivan was the sole sitting member of the Commission. After former Chairwoman Heather MacDougall resigned her position on March 31, 2019, and the term of Attwood ended on April 27, 2019, OSHRC was down to one member. Because the Commission lacked a quorum, Sullivan was unable to issue any decisions on pending appeals. He was...