The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ordered the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to reinstate a former employee who the TVA had placed on paid administrative leave and later terminated, because the employee brought up nuclear safety concerns about the site.

Investigators found that the employee had participated in an investigation of the TVA’s Office of General Counsel of a chilled work environment and raised concerns about required technical specification surveillances. Both are protected activities.

The TVA was ordered to pay $123,460 in back wages and interest, and $33,835 in compensatory damages to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses and health insurance costs. OSHA also ordered them to pay her attorney’s fees, clear her personnel file of reference to the issues brought up in the investigation, refrain from further retaliation, and post a notice informing employees of their whistleblower protections.

“This order underscores the U.S. Department of Labor’s commitment to protect workers who exercise their right to raise safety concerns without the fear of retaliation,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer, in Atlanta, GA.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the ERA and more than 20 statutes protecting employees who report violations in various industries. Visit their Whistleblower Protection Programs page for information.

Read the press release here.