The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered New York-based Brindi Trailer Sales and Services to pay a fired employee more than $45,000 in lost wages, damages and fees after finding he was illegally terminated for notifying regulators of a workplace safety violation, according to Business Insurance.
The driver notified the company of defective equipment on his truck and requested the conditions be repaired, but the company refused, according to the report.
The driver took the truck to be inspected and found it contained 16 violations. After repairs were made, the driver notified his employer and was discharged, according to the report. Business Insurance reported:
The worker filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA, which ordered Mr. Brindi to pay the driver $32,642 in lost wages, $10,000 in punitive damages and $3,060.02 in attorney’s fees and to expunge the driver’s employment records.
“This driver was fired for doing the right thing,” Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York, said in a statement. “A defective truck is a danger not only to its driver, but to other motorists on the road. Commercial truck drivers have a legal right to report safety issues to their employer without fear of termination or retaliation. Violating the law can put workers at risk and has costly consequences for the offending employer.”
A company spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.
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