If you are a railroad worker and believe you should blow the whistle on your employer’s violations, it’s important that you act with speed and decisiveness—especially if your employer retaliates against you.
Just because railroads are forbidden from taking retaliatory measures against whistleblowers, doesn’t mean they don’t happen. Some of these adverse actions can include losing your job, cutting your wages or hours, demoting you or moving you to a less preferable shift or workplace.
Don’t miss the 180-day window.
Your whistleblower rights as a railroad employee are protected by the Federal Rail Safety Act (FRSA), which can give remedies if you suffer retaliation. However, the allotted time period is only 180 days for you to file your FRSA complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The clock starts ticking from the date you knew—or should have known—your railroad employer decided to take a retaliatory action against you.
You can only file under FRSA if your employer retaliated against you for doing one or more “protected activities,” such as reporting a work-related injury or illness, pursuing medical treatment, notifying the railroad of safety concerns or blowing the whistle on the company’s fraud.
If you believe your employer has retaliated against you for any of those protected activities, you should act right away by knowing how you can be protected and seeking experienced legal help to assist with your claim. An attorney may help you get the maximum compensation you deserve for all of your troubles.
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