Aviation training center ordered to reinstate whistleblower

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered SimCom Training Centers to reinstate a flight instructor who was allegedly terminated after he raised concerns about potential violations of Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

An OSHA investigation found that the Orlando, Florida-based aviation training company terminated the flight instructor for repeatedly raising safety concerns, according to a May 22 statement. The instructor was harassed, denied opportunities to train students and ultimately terminated in April 2014, according to the agency.

OSHA ordered the company to reinstate the employee, clear his personnel file of any reference to the issues involved in the investigation, pay $201,882 in back wages and interest, $100,000 in compensatory damages and reasonable attorney fees, and refrain from retaliating against the employee, according to the statement.

SimCom must also post a notice informing employees of their whistleblower protections under federal law. OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of 22 federal statutes.

A company spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.