OSHA has ordered a Boston based flight company to reinstate a pilot who was terminated after reporting violations of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules but who was protected under federal whistleblower laws, a “highly rare exception” according to government watchdog groups who are seeking to strengthen the agency's authorities.
Government watchdog groups are pressing Congress to consolidate and strengthen OSHA's authorities governing private sector whistleblowers, citing in part a recent case where a Labor Department (DOL) board found that EPA officials wrongfully fired an agency whistleblower who was entitled to protections.
The Supreme Court has unanimously rejected a request from a financial sector whistleblower to win protections from retaliation under Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules, prompting concern from whistleblower advocates that the ruling will set a precedent that could undermine similar protections under other laws that OSHA enforces.