It seems too often that workers are terminated for arbitrary reasons following the reporting of a workplace injury. When firing injured workers, employers bet that their employees will find the workers compensation system too complex and intimidating to navigate; this assumption is an insult to the intelligence of workers everywhere.
Quite recently, Wisconsin Central Limited, a railway company, fired a conductor on the last day of his 60-day probationary period of employment on false grounds that the worker failed to file the injury claim during the work day. In fact, the injury was reported before the worker’s shift ended. Tweaking injury claim records to justify an employee’s termination clearly violates the Federal Railroad Safety Act, as well as the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
“The majority of complaints received by OSHA under the Federal Railroad Safety Act involve allegations that a railroad worker has been retaliated against for reporting an on-the-job injury. No worker should feel his job is at risk for reporting an injury or seeking medical attention,” said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regional administrator. “When employees are disciplined for reporting workplace injuries, safety concerns or illnesses, worker safety and health are clearly not the company’s priority.”
I Was Fired Unjustly And Need A Workers Comp Lawyer
If you work for the railroad industry and this situation appears particularly familiar, do not hesitate to reach out to us. The Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC legal team has been representing unjustly terminated workers for over a combined 80 years. We will work tirelessly to secure your lost wages and expensive medical bills. A consultation with one of our workers compensation attorneys is completely confidential and cost free.
Larrimer & Larrimer, LLC—Columbus Workers Comp Attorneys
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