Hostile Work Environment Definition
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Whistleblower Protection for Nurses in Health Care Reform Bill

March 29, 2010 By 15 Comments
Protected from Whistle Blowing by New Health Care Reform Bill

The "Health Care Reform Bill" that has been at the top of the news lately contains some good news for nurses, nursing home employees, and other health care workers who are suffering under a bullying boss or being harassed at work. Now this reform bill, which is actually named "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009," does not outright prohibit bullies in the healthcare workplace. Although it would be a good idea to catch the U.S. up with the rest of the civilized world, we're still a ways off from making it illegal to purposefully ruin another person's career. But, this law can be a another tool that you can learn to use in your fight against an unfair supervisor. Specifically, the Bill gives whistleblower AND retaliation protection to health care workers! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, New Laws Tagged With: employee rights, health care reform, hostile work environment, job harassment, nurses, Retaliation, whistleblower
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Whistleblower Stops The Train of Hostile Work Environment

February 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
locomotive

Federal OSHA ordered Union Pacific Railroad to give the welder his original job back, repay the welder for all the time and mileage he spent commuting to the second job he was transferred to, pay his attorney fees and pay him compensatory damages. OSHA doesn't release the names of employee-whistleblowers, but here's what we do know about the situation: the employee was a welder based in Beverly, Iowa, who worked on repairing railroad tracks for Union Pacific Railroad. You've heard the old adage that you're never supposed to stop on railroad tracks, right? Well that's exactly where this welder spent his work day -- sitting on railroad tracks. It's dangerous work. So one day he is particularly concerned about on-coming trains. In fact he goes to his Track Manager and asks for a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bad Boss, Featured Tagged With: hostile work environment, OSHA, Retaliation, Union Pacific, whistleblower
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The Whistleblower Wins Money. Big Money.

February 23, 2009 By 3 Comments

A male flight crew employee working for "Southern Air Inc", which is a cargo airline, complained twice to managment about safety concerns. First he complained about inadequate rest breaks. Then he complained about being forced to work extra hours, beyond what the FAA allows by law. So what happened next? Southern Air retaliated against the employee, of course! First he received less work. Then the company "discovered" problems with his job performance. Then, in April of 2008, he was terminated. After being terminated the employee filed a complaint with a regional office of OSHA.  OSHA investigated, and found that the employee's complaint had merit.  OSHA issued a prelimiary opinion, ordering Southern Air to pay the terminated employee: "$300,000 for loss of career wages, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Retaliation Tagged With: complaint, OSHA, Retaliation, termination, whistleblower