A Federal Administrative Law Judge has upheld the U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) finding that a Houston Crane and Rigging Services Provider violated Federal Law by firing a Company Truck Driver in 2020 for refusing to exceed safe driving limits set by the U.S. Motor Carrier Safety Administration.  An investigation by the USDOL’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the Driver employed by Houston’s Crane Masters Incorporated told their employer that, after working 19 hours on June 4th, 2020, it would be unsafe for them to operate a commercial vehicle as they had not gotten the legally required amount of time off before returning to work. The company responded by terminating the Driver.  “Congress enacted the world’s first whistleblower protections in (1778) to ensure people who come forward to report illegal behaviors or actions don’t suffer for doing what’s right,” OSHA Regional Administrator Eric Harbin said. “In this case, Crane Masters was held accountable for retaliating against an Employee who acted responsibly by raising their concerns about endangering themselves and others by operating a commercial vehicle without sufficient rest.”

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: Federal judge upholds Department of Labor order for crane company to pay truck driver terminated for refusing to violate federal safety rules | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)