A national employer is the latest to find itself on the wrong end of an OSHA whistleblower investigation. Here’s what happened that led to a six-figure mistake. Terminations Prompt Whistleblower Investigation CSX Transportation is a freight railroad company that operates in the Eastern U.S. In November 2018, two employees reported a “blue flag” on the […]
Addressing workplace safety concerns, Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed the “Retail Worker Safety Act,” which requires retail employers in New York to develop and implement training programs and policies to help prevent workplace violence. The new legislation applies to employers with at least 10 employees working in a retail store that “sells consumer commodities.” Importantly, […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has ordered a daycare facility to reinstate a fired childcare worker and pay $43,295 in back wages and damages after an OSHA investigation determined the individual was fired for reporting safety concerns to the state. The employer was also required to pay $5,500 in attorney’s fees. Childcare Worker Shares Concerns With […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a proposed heat safety rule that aims to protect workers from extreme heat as persistent heat waves bring record-breaking temperatures across the U.S. The rule, if finalized, would establish the first-ever national heat safety standard. Here’s what you need to know about the proposed regulation – […]
A mobile home manufacturer in Alabama could’ve prevented a 62-year-old roofing laborer’s fatal fall if the employer had followed OSHA’s fall protection standards, a federal investigation found. Because the employer failed to do so, it now faces a hefty penalty on top of dealing with the tragedy. Here’s what happened, according to OSHA. OSHA finds […]
An administrative law judge (ALJ) upheld an OSHA finding that an employer in Houston illegally fired a worker who exercised his rights under the federal Whistleblower Protection Program – and ordered the company to pay $14,945 in back pay, interest and compensatory damages. This case provides yet another example of how managers’ mistakes can be very expensive for employers. […]
An employee who was denied workers’ compensation benefits after being shot by a co-worker can proceed with a tort claim against his employer, a state appeals court in Florida has ruled. This case involves Giovanni Bastien, who worked at a Pepsi packaging and distribution facility in Medley, Florida. Bastien was shot by a co-worker who […]
An employer may be responsible for birth defects allegedly caused by its workers’ exposure to toxic chemicals, a state appeals court in Illinois has ruled. This case involves Marcus Ledeaux and Enrique Daniel Araballo, who each had a parent who worked at a Motorola semiconductor manufacturing facility in Arizona. Ledeaux’s father worked at the facility […]
A painting company is in hot water with the Department of Labor (DOL) for allowing teen workers to paint multi-story homes. Neubert Painting Inc., an Ohio-based painting company, violated child labor laws by allowing two 17-year-old workers to work on roofs while painting client houses in the summers of 2021 and 2022. The child labor […]
