Many people are just happy to have steady work, and when they begin to feel that certain parts of their workplace may be unsafe, they are afraid to speak up. However, when your health is at stake and workers’ compensation claims are a real possibility, employees should never be afraid to say something. This is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has implemented a “Whistleblower Protection Program.”
If you ask OSHA to inspect your workplace, and your employer tries to retaliate against you, you can file a complaint with OSHA and be protected under the Whistleblower program. You can also speak with a workers’ compensation attorney; Harrisburg lawyers at Schmidt Kramer are well versed in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation laws.
OSHA lists these unfavorable personnel actions as:
- Applying or issuing a policy which provides for an unfavorable personnel action due to the activity protected by a whistleblower law enforced by OSHA
- Blacklisting
- Demoting
- Denying overtime or promotion
- Disciplining
- Denying benefits
- Failing to hire or rehire
- Firing or laying off
- Intimidation
- Making threats
- Reassignment to a less desirable position, including one adversely affecting prospects for promotion
- Reducing pay or hours
- Suspension
If you think that your employer retaliated against you because you were concerned about your safety or you reported an on-the-job injury, you need to contact OSHA as soon as possible because there is a legal time limit in which you need to do so. Once you file the complaint, you will need to prove that you participated in the protected activity, your employer knew about it, and your employer took an action of retaliation against you after knowing about it.
Were you hurt on the job? It’s time to speak with a workers’ compensation lawyer. Camp Hill or Harrisburg area employees should call the law office of Schmidt Kramer for a free consultation at (717) 888-8888.