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Worker who raised COVID concerns illegally fired: OSHA

Posted On: Nov. 18, 2021 2:47 PM CST

truck

An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found an employee at one of the world’s largest truck manufacturers was fired after expressing concern publicly about the spread of COVID-19 at a Texas facility.

The investigation found the employee at the facility in Denton engaged in protected activity in raising workplace safety concerns and that Paccar Inc. — operating as Peterbilt Motor Co. — acted in retaliation in firing him, violating federal whistleblower protections.

On Wednesday, the department’s Office of the Solicitor filed suit against Paccar in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Tyler.

The suit asks the court to order the company to comply with anti-retaliation provisions in the Occupational Safety and Health Act, reinstate the employee to his former employment position with the company, and pay the employee back wages, interest, compensatory and punitive damages and other remedies. It further asks that the employee’s personnel record be expunged.