The United States Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ordered a Florida flight training company to reinstate one of their employees after he was fired for raising safety concerns.

The company was ordered to reinstate the flight instructor who had raised safety concerns about potential violations of Federal Aviation Administration regulations. He was harassed, denied the opportunity to train students, and ultimately terminated in April of 2014.

SIMCOM Training Centers in Orlando, FL also must pay him $201,882 in back wages and interest, $100,000 in compensatory damages and reasonable fees, and must clear his file of any issues involved in this investigation while refraining from retaliating against him. They also must post a notice informing employees of their whistleblower protections and other statutes in place to protect employees.

“Employees have the right to voice concerns of unsafe working conditions without the fear of retaliation,” said Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA Regional Administrator. “This order underscores the U.S. Department of Labor’s commitment to protect workers who exercise their right to ensure workplace safety.”

DOL does not release names of employees involved in whistleblower complaints.

Read the press release from OSHA