When a BNSF employee reports an on-the-job injury, the Railroad orders the employee to disclose medical information to a medical case manager. But when an employee reports a non-work related injury, the Railroad leaves them alone. BNSF employee Travis Klinger reported a work injury and was ordered to contact such a medical manager. When he declined to do so, he was suspended for “failure to comply with a direct order.” The Administrative Law Judge reversed that discipline and ordered BNSF to pay $100,000 in punitive damages. Klinger v. BNSF Railway.
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Federal Rail Safety Act
FRSA Remedies and Attorney Fees
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
The Federal Rail Safety Act is a “make whole remedy” statute, and a federal judge has clarified some important points regarding the range of remedies available to railroad employees who report injuries or safety hazards.
O’Neal v. Norfolk Southern Railroad Company concerned an employee who fell from a chair because the seat was not properly bolted to the frame. After he reported both the injury and the hazardous safety condition, the Railroad accused him of lying about it and fired him. The jury found the Railroad violated the FRSA and awarded O’Neal back pay, emotional distress damages, and punitive damages.
More on FRSA “Good Faith” and “Intentional Retaliation”
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
What Is A “Good Faith” Refusal?
Under subsection (a)(2) of the Federal Rail Safety Act, it is protected activity for an employee “to refuse to violate or assist in the violation of any Federal law, rule, or regulation relating to railroad safety.” Now comes a Circuit Court decision clarifying what qualifies as “a refusal” to violate a FRA safety regulation.
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Some Recent FRSA Developments
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
What is Adverse Action?
The question arises, in order to qualify as an “adverse action” under the Federal Rail Safety Act, does a railroad’s investigation into an employee’s actions have to result in actual discipline? What if the charge is eventually dropped? No harm no foul? A recent district court decision clarifies the matter:
Second Circuit Sidesteps Subsection (c)(1) Issues
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
Federal Rail Safety Act subsection (c)(1) prohibits railroads from denying, delaying, or interfering with the medical treatment of employees “injured during the course of employment.” In a fact driven decision, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals sidesteps deciding the temporal scope of that protection (just first aid or entire course of treatment?) and its interpretative…
Can OSHA Order the Training of Managers?
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
The FRSA is a “make whole remedy” statute, so the question arises: can OSHA force a recalcitrant railroad to train its managers so they comply with the statute going forward? The short answer is: yes, when the facts call for it. The long answer is found in Administrative Law Judge Timothy J. McGrath’s decision in Giuliano v. CSX Transportation, Inc.
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Continue Reading Can OSHA Order the Training of Managers?
FRSA Subsection (c)(2)’s Safe Harbor Exception
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
In a case of first impression, a federal judge has applied FRSA subsection (c)(2)’s exception to the prohibition against railroads disciplining employees for following the orders of a treating physician. Stapleton v. Union Pac. R.R. Co.
The exception to (c)(2) is:
a railroad carrier’s refusal to permit an employee to return to work following medical
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How the FRSA Can Protect Safety Absences From Discipline
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
It is especially important for rail workers in safety sensitive positions to know how to book off when their medical condition renders them unsafe. To quote the Chairman of the NTSB: “The public deserves alert operators. That’s not too much to ask.” Yes, but how can a rail worker protect a safety absence from…
What Is a Work-Related Illness?
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
Federal Rail Safety Act Section 20109(a)(4) protects rail workers who notify their railroad of “a work-related personal injury or work-related illness.” Injuries usually are pretty obvious. But what qualifies as “a work related illness”? The federal court in Williams v. Ill. Cent. R.R. holds that any illness arising during the course of employment is included,…
A Tale of “Malicious Compliance”
By Charlie Goetsch on
Posted in Federal Rail Safety Act
How bad is it on New Jersey Transit Rail?
So bad, the NJT Chief Compliance Officer (my client Todd Barretta) had to file a Federal Rail Safety Act whistleblower retaliation complaint after he was terminated for insisting the Railroad comply with FRA safety regulations. Here is the Bloomberg article.
So bad, NJT Rail employees…