The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced in a recent news release its intent to establish a committee to advise, consult with and make recommendations to the secretary of labor and assistant secretary of labor of occupational safety and health on ways to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of OSHA’s administration of whistleblower protection.
The committee will advise OSHA on the development and implementation of improved customer service models, enhancements in the investigation and enforcement process, training, and regulations governing OSHA investigations.
Also, the committee will advise OSHA in cooperative activities with other federal agencies that are responsible for whistleblower protection statutes enforced by OSHA.
According to the news release, OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and 20 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various workplace, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health care reform, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime and securities laws.
Under the whistleblower provisions, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who raise various protected concerns or provide protected information to the employer or the government. Employees who believe that they have been retaliated against for engaging in protected conduct may file a complaint with the secretary of labor for an investigation by OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program.
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