{"id":13610,"date":"2014-12-31T04:22:22","date_gmt":"2014-12-31T09:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atlantictraining.com\/blog\/?p=13610"},"modified":"2021-06-15T06:57:14","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T06:57:14","slug":"260k-penalty-after-disciplining-worker-for-reporting-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.atlantictraining.com\/blog\/260k-penalty-after-disciplining-worker-for-reporting-injury\/","title":{"rendered":"$260K penalty after disciplining worker for reporting injury"},"content":{"rendered":"
Federal officials have levied the largest penalty of its kind against an employer following an investigation that showed the company taking action against an employee who reported a workplace injury.<\/p>\n
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad, based in Hartford, CT, has been ordered to pay the employee $250,000 in punitive damages, $10,000 in compensatory damages and \u201creasonable attorney fees.\u201d<\/p>\n
OSHA investigated following a complaint filed by a coach cleaner.<\/p>\n
In November 2011, the employee suffered a knee injury on the job when he tripped on a wooden board that was sticking up six inches from a paved pathway.<\/p>\n
The worker\u2019s foreman drove him to the hospital. On the way, the worker secretly recorded the conversation with his boss.<\/p>\n
On the recording, the foreman said employees who get hurt on the job are automatically written up for safety violations and aren\u2019t considered for promotions. The foreman said she believed she received a promotion because she hid workplace injuries she had suffered.<\/p>\n
The worker rejected that advice and filled out an injury report. Shortly afterward, he was written up \u201cfor failing to keep a safe distance from protruding objects.\u201d<\/p>\n
After filing a discrimination complaint, Metro-North further disciplined the worker.<\/p>\n
OSHA administrator David Michaels said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen employees, fearing retaliation hesitate to report work-related injuries and the safety hazards that caused them, companies cannot fix safety problems \u2026 we have assessed the maximum amount in punitive damages allowed under the law.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Read Full Article At Safetynewsalert.com<\/a><\/p>\n
Related Training DVDs:<\/h2>\n
\nIncident Reporting You Can Save A Life Training DVD<\/h3>\n
<\/a> Stress the importance of safety standards, the ways to control hazards, & more. View Product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nOSHA Recordkeeping for Employees DVD Program<\/h3>\n
<\/a> Shows employees actual workplace incidents that demonstrate how to report accidents. View Product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nSlips, Trips & Falls Training Video<\/h3>\n
<\/a> Shows employees the situations that can lead to slips, trips and falls, and what they can do to avoid or prevent these accidents. View Product<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federal officials have levied the largest penalty of its kind against an employer following an investigation that showed the company taking action against an employee who reported a workplace injury. The Metro-North Commuter Railroad, based in Hartford, CT, has been ordered to pay the employee $250,000 in punitive damages, $10,000 in compensatory damages and \u201creasonable …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1873,1884,1889,1921,1924],"yoast_head":"\n
$260K penalty after disciplining worker for reporting workplace injury<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n