PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

OSHA's Protection Program for Whistleblower Employees

While reporting workplace violations may be distressing to employees, the Whistleblower Protection Act and OSHA's protection program protects them against retaliation for reporting violations.

2011-06-16
June 16, 2011 (Press-News.org) According to the National Business Ethics Survey, 56 percent of employees claim to have witnessed serious workplace violations, but only half of these workers take steps to report them. While reporting workplace violations may distress some employees, the Whistleblower Protection Act and protection program, administered by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), protects workers who participate in various reporting activities against employers who violate industry regulations, standards or ethics.

Whistleblowers

Whistleblowers play a key role in holding employers and their agents accountable for following the law and required standards of practice. Workers may see many different types of infractions that should be reported, including:
- Fraud
- Environmental violations
- Risks to health and safety
- Unethical behavior

OSHA and the OWPP

OSHA oversees whistleblower activities such as workplace-violation reporting through its Office of the Whistleblower Protection Program (OWPP). The OWPP manages complaints filed under 21 different whistleblower-protection statutes. These statutes protect whistleblowing employees from retaliation for reporting infractions by employers.

Whistleblowing employees who believe their employers retaliated against them for reporting workplace violations should consider seeking protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act. When a worker files a claim under the Act, OSHA first will determine whether an in-depth investigation of the employer's behavior is warranted.

If an investigation occurs, OSHA will examine whether the employee engaged in a protected reporting act, and whether the employer knew about the reporting and consequently subjected the whistleblower to an "adverse action" (firing, demoting, intimidating, disciplining or threatening the employee) because of the whistleblowing activity.

Whistleblowing employees must file their complaints with the appropriate state or federal agencies, like OSHA, within a certain time frame following a retaliatory act by an employer. If OSHA investigates the claim and finds illegal retaliation by the employer, it can issue an order to remedy the retaliatory act, such as reinstating the employee or paying back wages.

Both state and federal whistleblowing laws govern and protect the violation reporting process and whistleblowers themselves. A worker does not need a lawyer to report a workplace violation, but the process can be confusing to navigate without legal guidance. In addition, if retaliation for reporting occurs, a lawyer can help a worker who has suffered negative consequences. If you are thinking of reporting a workplace violation or have been retaliated against for reporting, contact a knowledgeable lawyer with experience in whistleblower cases.

Article provided by Kocurek & Krudop, P.C.
Visit us at www.2klaw.com


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Researchers predict record Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' due to Mississippi River flooding

2011-06-16
ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Extreme flooding of the Mississippi River this spring is expected to result in the largest Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" on record, according to a University of Michigan aquatic ecologist and his colleagues. The 2011 forecast, released today by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), calls for a Gulf dead zone of between 8,500 and 9,421 square miles, an area roughly the size of New Hampshire. The most likely 2011 scenario, according to U-M's Donald Scavia, is a Gulf dead zone of at least 8,500 square miles, surpassing the current ...

WMS issues important new practice guidelines for frostbite prevention and treatment

2011-06-16
Philadelphia, PA, June 14, 2011 – Frostbite can be a minor injury or a life-threatening condition. In the June issue of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, a panel of experts has published evidence-based practice guidelines issued by the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) for the prevention and treatment of frostbite to guide clinicians and disseminate knowledge about best practices. "Frostbite can be a devastating injury that afflicts many people who are in the prime of their lives," commented Scott McIntosh, MD, MPH, lead author, member of the WMS Board of Directors, ...

Study examines link between teen sex and divorce rate

2011-06-16
A University of Iowa study found that women who make their sexual debut as young teens are more likely to divorce, especially if "the first time" was unwanted, or if she had mixed feelings about it. Published in the April issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family, the analysis found that 31 percent of women who had sex for the first time as teens divorced within five years, and 47 percent divorced within 10 years. The divorce rate for women who delayed sex until adulthood was far lower: 15 percent at five years, and 27 percent at 10 years. Author Anthony Paik, associate ...

How Upcoming Litigation Cost Reform Will Affect Personal Injury Law in the UK

2011-06-16
Lord Justice Jackson's proposed litigation cost reforms are likely to have a far ranging impact on personal injury law in the UK. At present the losing party in a personal injury claim will usually pay both the relevant insurance costs and the success fee that a personal injury solicitor can charge in a successful no-win, no-fee claim. The successful claimant may also keep 100% of the damages awarded if agreed with their solicitor. In a recent survey carried out by the lobbying group Access to Justice, 77% of personal injury claimants admitted that they would not ...

Coming to TV screens of the future: A sense of smell

2011-06-16
Today's television programs are designed to trigger your emotions and your mind through your senses of sound and sight. But what if they could trigger a few more? What if you could smell or taste the cheesy slices of pizza being eaten by your favorite characters on TV? Is it possible? Would audiences enjoy the experience? Would advertisers jump on the opportunity to reach consumers in a new way? These questions formed the basis of a two year experiment by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, conducted in collaboration with Samsung Advanced Institute ...

Sugar-binding protein may play a role in HIV infection

2011-06-16
Though it is known that PDI inhibitors can prevent HIV infection, just how this happens has remained a mystery. And though it has been known that PDI, which normally lives inside the cell, can become entrapped on the cell's surface, it has not been understood how this happens. Now, in a new study, UCLA researchers report that a sugar-binding protein called galectin-9 traps PDI on T-cells' surface, making them more susceptible to HIV infection. IMPACT: The findings could lead researchers to a potential new target for anti-HIV therapeutics, such ...

Oft-used DSM diagnosis of alcohol dependence shows reliability

2011-06-16
Contact: Eivind Ystrom, Ph.D. eivind.ystrom@fhi.no 47-990-01-730 (Norway) Norwegian Institute of Public Health Alexis Edwards, Ph.D. aedwards5@vcu.edu 804-828-8591 Virginia Commonwealth University Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research Oft-used DSM diagnosis of alcohol dependence shows reliability A new study examined the reliability of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of alcohol dependence (AD) in a population-based sample. Characteristics relevant to the disorder – number ...

Considerations When Making a Personal Injury Compensation Claim

2011-06-16
Before making the vital decision of which personal injury solicitor you contact, there are a few pieces of information that you should be clear on regarding the incident in question. If you believe that you have been the victim of an act of medical negligence or personal injury visit your General Practitioner as soon as possible for supportive evidence of your injuries. If involved in a traffic accident the same applies and injuries should be documented in a medical report for potential use in your case If the circumstances dictate (such as a traffic or pedestrian ...

Motivation to change, confidence to resist temptation, should tailor alcohol-dependence treatment

2011-06-16
Contact: J. Kim Penberthy, Ph.D. jkp2n@virginia.edu 434-243-0570 University of Virginia School of Medicine Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research Motivation to change, confidence to resist temptation, should tailor alcohol-dependence treatment People seeking help for their alcohol or other drug problems enter treatment with very different levels of motivation to change. Differences in motivation appear to make a critical difference in which patients seek, comply with, and complete treatment. Findings from a study of the extent to which motivation and ...

Understanding alcohol's damaging effects on the brain

2011-06-16
Contact: Rebecca J. Howard, Ph.D. reba@mail.utexas.edu 512-232-2487 The University of Texas at Austin Gregg Homanics, Ph.D. homanicsge@anes.upmc.edu 412-648-8172 University of Pittsburgh Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research Understanding alcohol's damaging effects on the brain While alcohol has a wide range of pharmacological effects on the body, the brain is a primary target. However, the molecular mechanisms by which alcohol alters neuronal activity in the brain are poorly understood. Participants in a symposium at the June 2010 annual ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Older adults who increased their regular walking pace by just 14 steps per minute were more likely to experience clinically significant improvements in a test of aerobic capacity and walking endurance

For adults with hearing loss, linear amplification (amplification across all sound levels, available with some hearing aids) might restore their ability to recognize emotion in voices

Self-reporting climate anxiety in the United States is linked to being young, female, believing climate change will impact you personally, and more frequent media and community discussions around clim

A “silent epidemic” of stimulant use is shadowing the most recent opioid epidemic

Food insecurity causes anxiety and depression

New approach to kidney transplant matching could lead to better long-term outcomes

The patterns of elites who conceal their assets offshore

Elephant robot demonstrates bioinspired 3D printing technology

Walking slightly faster could help older adults stay fit

Private health industry lobby group uses marketing and publicity strategies similar to Big Tobacco and other unhealthy commodity industry groups

Government rollbacks of climate monitoring is a public health emergency

Robots that grow by consuming other robots

MD Anderson Research Highlights for July 16, 2025

Interbreeding with Neanderthals may be responsible for modern-day brain condition, SFU study finds

Tiny crystals provide insight to massive 2006 Augustine Volcano eruption

Six-month follow-up results announced from a first-of-its-kind robotic-assisted cerebral aneurysm embolization study

Why some elephants take more risks around people than others

Hope in sight for autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA)

Snacking on avocado before bed may be linked to health impacts the next morning in adults with prediabetes

‘Fiery’ cell death during bladder cancer treatment may trigger chemo resistance by fueling cancer stem cells

How a tiny gene ensures the survival of male birds

New insights into ovarian cancer: why whole-genome doubling may hold the key to future HGSOC treatment strategies

Battery sharing could cut energy costs for communities

Expanded research tool to crack the code on Parkinson’s, the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease

Can AI detect hidden heart disease?

Simple rules govern soil microbiome responses to environmental change

Researchers track the willingness of gun owners to temporarily store guns outside their homes

Living near St. Louis-area Coldwater Creek during childhood linked with higher risk of cancer from radiation

Prevalence of extremely severe obesity and metabolic dysfunction among US children and adolescents

Estimated burden of influenza and direct and indirect benefits of influenza vaccination

[Press-News.org] OSHA's Protection Program for Whistleblower Employees
While reporting workplace violations may be distressing to employees, the Whistleblower Protection Act and OSHA's protection program protects them against retaliation for reporting violations.