Federal Whistleblower Protection Laws – Connecticut Attorney
Protecting Employees From Whistleblower Retaliation
Employees in many industries are protected from retaliation for whistleblowing activities. Subway workers are protected by the National Transit Systems Security Act (NTSSA), and merchant marine seamen are protected by the Seaman’s Protection Act (SPA). Both are similar to the Federal Rail Safety Act, which prohibits all railroads from retaliating against workers who engage in certain “protected activities.”
The FRSA is an extremely powerful law that provides extensive “make whole” remedies for railroad workers who suffer retaliation for engaging in “protected activities.” But the window for filing a FRSA claim is short, and it is critical to consult a knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Protected Activity Under The FRSA
Some examples of “protected activity” under the FRSA include:
Injuries
– Notifying the railroad of your own work-related injury or illness
– Notifying the railroad of a co-worker’s work-related injury or illness
Safety concerns
– Reporting a hazardous safety or security condition
– Refusing to violate any federal law, rule or regulation relating to rail safety or security
– Refusing to authorize the use of unsafe railroad equipment, track or structures
Medical treatment
– For any work-related injury, railroad managers and medical department personnel cannot deny, delay, or interfere with the employee’s medical treatment during the period immediately following the the injury
– For any work-related medical condition, a railroad cannot discipline an employee for following a treating doctor’s orders or treatment plan.
Fraud or waste of public funds
– Providing information regarding the fraud, waste or abuse of government funds connected to rail safety or security
Make Whole Remedies
The FRSA is a “make whole remedy” law that gives workers the power to force the railroad:
- To void and expunge your discipline
- To reinstate you with all seniority and benefits unimpaired
- To pay you back wages with interest
- To pay for all your economic losses
- To pay unlimited emotional distress damages
- To pay punitive damages up to $250,000
- To pay your attorney’s fees and costs
Beware Of The Short 180-Day Window To File
The window for filing an FRSA complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Whistleblower Protection Directorate is only 180 days. That means railroad workers only have 180 days to file from the date the worker knew or should have known the railroad decided to take an adverse action against them. So if you believe a railroad has retaliated against you for reporting an injury (or any of the other “protected activities” listed above), call me as soon as possible so we can determine if you have an FRSA claim and, if so, how best to protect your rights.
The FRSA applies to railroads such as Amtrak, Metro North Railroad, New Jersey Transit Railroad (NJT Rail), PATH Rail, Long Island Railroad (LIRR), CSXT Railroad, Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), Burlington Northern Railroad (BNSF) and Union Pacific Railroad.
Contact A New York FRSA Lawyer
From offices in New Haven, New York, and Washington, D.C., attorney Charles Goetsch provides legal representation for whistleblowers and railroad workers in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., throughout the northeastern U.S. and across the nation. If you have suffered a railroad injury or any retaliation in violation of your whistleblower protection rights or if you have information regarding fraud or waste involving any government money, get the legal guidance you need. Wherever you are in the Northeast or across the United States, call toll free 866-316-6825 or contact the office to arrange a free and strictly confidential consultation.