A federal court has ordered House of Hounds LLC, a former Boise dog daycare, and its ex-owner to pay $50,000 in damages to two employees terminated after raising COVID-19 safety concerns in June 2020. The U.S. Department of Labor obtained a consent judgment in federal court requiring the facility and its former owner, Kayla Martin, to pay $25,000 each to the employees. The judgment was delivered by Judge B. Lynn Winmill of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho on Oct. 2, 2023. In addition to the monetary damages, the facility and Martin must provide neutral employment recommendations, expunge mentions of the incident from the employees' records, publicly apologize on social media, and undergo OSHA-approved managerial training.
The case began with a whistleblower complaint to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) by the two employees who reported being terminated after expressing concerns about a coworker awaiting COVID-19 test results. Following their complaints, Martin instructed them to finish their tasks and leave the premises, and then removed them from company social media and excluded them from work schedules. Furthermore, when the employees applied for unemployment, House of Hounds challenged their claims by falsely informing the State of Idaho Department of Labor that they had voluntarily resigned.
"Our team works diligently to ensure the voices of employees who exercise their right to report alleged unsafe working conditions are heard," said OSHA Regional Administrator Dorinda Hughes. She emphasized that retaliatory actions against workers who raise safety concerns will not be tolerated.
The judgment against House of Hounds and its former owner underscores the importance of protecting workers' rights to voice safety concerns without fear. The U.S. Department of Labor's Marc Pilotin highlighted the significance of this case in preserving workers' rights. "Our priority is to protect workers and their right to a safe and healthy workplace," Pilotin said.
Along with the monetary penalty, the judgment requires the former owner to distribute rights notices to employees, refrain from future violations, and undergo OSHA-approved managerial training. This serves as a reminder to employers that retaliatory actions against employees who raise safety concerns can have serious consequences.
