The Source for Railroad Injuries & Whistleblower Protection
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.Continue Reading More on FRSA “Good Faith” and “Intentional Retaliation”
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:Continue Reading Some Recent FRSA Developments
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…
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.
Continue Reading Can OSHA Order the Training of Managers?
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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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…
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,…
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…
The steady stream of FRSA Section 20109 whistleblower decisions continues apace. Here are some recent notable decisions to keep in mind.
Railroad Bad Faith Conduct
The decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson in Johnston v. BNSF Railway Company is remarkable in several respects. Judge Nelson granted the employee’s Motion for Reconsideration and reversed…
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