Whistleblower Claim Draws OSHA Penalties

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has penalized Union Pacific Railroad Co. for another violation of the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

OSHA ordered Union Pacific to reinstate an employee who was fired after reporting a work-related injury to management and then sought medical treatment.

Union Pacific was ordered to pay back wages, interest, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees totaling over $315,000.

OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces 25 whistleblower statutes that protect employees from retaliation for reporting violations of a range of workplace and tax laws.

In August last year,  a federal whistleblower investigation found that Union Pacific illegally terminated a railroad engineer after the employee reported and sought medical care for a work-related injury. 

OSHA ordered Union Pacific to reinstate the employee, and pay back wages, interest, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees, totaling over $300,000.