The U.S. Department of Labor filed a suit against a Killeen newspaper after it terminated an employee who complained of an insect infestation, according to a release from the DOL.
The suit was filed on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, following a whistle-blower investigation that found the Killeen Daily Herald violated OSHA laws, according to the DOL.
"While media organizations depend on their reporters’ abilities to expose issues of public concern, a journalist at the Killeen Daily Herald found themselves out of a job when they complained to the newspaper’s management that they believed fleas had infested their workplace, leaving them with bug bites," said the DOL.
OSHA determined through investigation that the reporter sent messages to management complaining about the infestation and bug bites in May and June of 2021, according to the DOL; and the company responded by termination.
“Rather than addressing an employee’s concerns about the safety and health of their workplace, the Killeen Daily Herald terminated their reporter who sought to prevent workplace exposure to unknown diseases carried by the insects,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Eric S. Harbin. “The U.S. Department of Labor investigates violations of federal whistleblower statutes and protects workers who exercise their right to raise safety concerns without the fear of retaliation.”
The U.S. Department of Labor said the employee was fired for engaging in "protected activity" and asks that the court order the newspaper to reinstate and pay the employee back wages along with interest, compensatory and punitive damages; expunge the employee’s personnel record; comply with the federal anti-retaliation provisions; "and other remedies."
“When employers retaliate against their workers for reporting unsafe working conditions, the department will work vigorously to secure the appropriate legal redress for workers,” said Regional Solicitor of Labor John Rainwater.
