The U.S. Department of Labor announced that the City of Delray Beach retaliated against a city inspector who was terminated after reporting that the local water system was contaminating the public water supply.
According to a release by the Department of Labor, the city of Delray Beach will be required to pay the fired employee $818,500 as a result. The Water Utilities Department inspector found that there were faults in the municipal system that were letting reclaimed sewer water cross-contaminate the drinking water supply of the city. This finding came in response to reports of “smelly, discolored and sandy drinking water.”
“The City of Delray Beach’s actions toward this worker and its response to concerns about the municipal drinking water supply are deeply troubling,” said OSHA Assistant Regional Administrator Lily Colon in Atlanta. “Our investigation showed that the city harassed and ultimately fired an employee sworn to protect the public for doing their job. No worker should fear being punished by their employer for reporting legitimate safety and health concerns, and OSHA will work vigorously to defend courageous people like this inspector.”
The release stated that the inspector was working with the Florida Department of Health and the Palm Beach County Office of the Inspector General. However, the city removed the employee from doing inspections and fired him in February 2022. The city said the position was eliminated in a reorganization “that involved only their job.”
It was later determined on February 24 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration that the city illegally harassed and fire the employee when he found and reported the pollution.
On April 18 the City of Delray Beach Commission ratified a settlement, where the former employee will be paid $818,500.
This investigation was due to a federal whistleblower investigation. According to the release, OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces more than 20 statutes that protect employees who report violations.
