OSHA Orders Trucking Company to Pay Driver Who Raised Safety Concerns

Friday, February 28, 2020 | 0

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration ordered a Connecticut trucking company to pay more than $150,000 to a driver whose pay was cut after raising safety concerns.

OSHA said Universal Trucking Solutions LLC and its co-owner, Juan Ramirez, violated whistleblower protections when they changed the work schedule of the complaining driver, which reduced the driver’s pay.

The driver repeatedly complained that vehicles were not maintained properly, resulting in missing or inoperative headlights and air pressure leaks. The driver also alleged the company instructed workers to disregard federal regulations limiting how many hours they could drive.

The whistleblower resigned in February 2017 over safety concerns and the fear that the Department of Transportation would confiscate his commercial driver’s license.

OSHA ordered United Trucking Solutions and Ramirez to pay the whistleblower $8,315 in back pay and interest, $75,000 in punitive damages and $50,000 in compensatory damages. The agency also awarded $21,378 in attorney fees.

The U.S. Department of Labor does not release the names of employees involved in whistleblower complaints.