The U.S. Department of Labor has initiated legal action against the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), alleging wrongful termination of a Texas employee. The worker reportedly sustained an injury while delivering mail and subsequently reported it as work-related.
Following an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), it was determined that USPS breached the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The act protects employees from retaliation when they report workplace safety violations. According to OSHA, the employee was dismissed on February 27, 2024, ten days after reporting the injury.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, seeks to hold USPS accountable for what is described as illegal retaliation. The department is requesting that USPS be ordered to pay back wages and damages to the affected worker.
OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program oversees compliance with 25 statutes designed to protect employees who report various types of violations, including those related to workplace safety, environmental laws, financial reform, and more.
For further details on whistleblower protections, individuals are encouraged to visit OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Programs webpage.
It should be noted that "the U.S. Department of Labor does not release the names of employees involved in whistleblower complaints."
