Truck driver gets canned after refusing to violate safety regulations

by Truck News

BOSTON, Mass– A truck driver who was fired for refusing to violate safety regulations is getting a major payday thanks to an investigation by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

NFI Interactive Logistics assigned the driver to deliver a truckload of Poland Spring bottled water from Northborough, Mass. to Jersey City, N.J., on Aug. 15, 2012. Due to a severe thunderstorm, flooded roads, heavy traffic and motor vehicle accidents, the trip took significantly longer than normal. The driver believed he didn’t have enough time to complete the delivery and return home without violating his hours of service.

To try to solve the problem, the driver delivered the load to a closer customer facility in nearby Kearny, N.J. NFI objected to the driver delivering the load to Kearny. Shortly after the delivery in Kearny, arrangements were made to have a different NFI driver drive the load to Jersey City. Both NFI and the customer approved the new arrangement. The load was delivered and the driver was able to return to Northborough without violating the hours of service restrictions or posing a risk. NFI fired him the next day for insubordination.

The driver (whose name is protected by the US Department of Labor) subsequently filed a whistleblower complaint with OSHA.

In an investigation, OSHA found that NFI Interactive Logistics violated the anti-retaliation provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act. OSHA is ordering the Cherry Hill, New Jersey-based company to reinstate the driver and pay him more than $276,000 in back wages and damages and take other corrective action.

 “This driver found a way to do his job and ensure motor carrier safety. Rather than receiving credit for doing the right thing, he received a pink slip,” said Kim Stille, OSHA’s New England regional administrator. “The law is clear: Drivers have the right to raise legitimate safety concerns to their employer – including refusing to violate safety regulations – without fear of termination or other retaliation. NFI must reverse its actions and compensate this driver for the financial and other losses he has suffered as a result of his illegal termination.”

In total OSHA is ordering NFI Interactive Logistics to take the following corrective actions:

–        Immediately reinstate the driver to his former position, with all rights, seniority, pay raises and benefits to which he was entitled absent the discharge.

–        Pay the driver $126,870 in back pay and interest covering the period from August 17, 2012 to June 7, 2016, plus additional amounts accruing up to the day the company makes the driver a bona fide offer of reinstatement.

–        Pay him $50,000 in compensatory damages for pain and suffering, including emotional distress, depression, mental pain, humiliation and embarrassment.

–        Pay him $100,000 in punitive damages and also pay his reasonable attorney fees.

–        Expunge from all of its files any reference to the discharge, or the driver’s exercise of his rights under STAA.

–        Make no adverse statements about the driver’s termination and/or any of the facts at issue in this case in response to any inquiry regarding his employment with NFI.

–        Not retaliate against the driver in any manner for his instituting or causing to be instituted any proceeding under or related to STAA.

–        Immediately post in a conspicuous location in its workplace a signed and dated notice to employees informing them of the order and their rights under STAA.

 The driver and NFI each have 30 days from receipt of OSHA’s findings to file objections and request a hearing before the Labor Department’s Office of Administrative Law Judges.


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  • OSHA is the scourge of the earth. This company would have paid for a hotel or allowed him to reset hours and return late if that was truly the case. There are HOS rules allowing some leeway in the event of extenuating circumstances…like a flooded route and forced detour. This just set a very dangerous precident for all companies all because of one “driver” that was just looking for a payday. Shame on you America.

  • We all know that if this company has any leverage they will play the system so not to pay this driver and if they have to pay regardless of the delayed this driver should in any case look for another company to work for knowing when come the time for references that company involved into these mater will black ball this driver.
    So be the luck with this driver and it prove that after all we are all there to survive the economy that is shaky this days.
    I hope he get paid and use that money to re think his driving days.

  • Hi-Companies have in pretense been complying with safety issues only when there is no economics involved, costing their particular business bottom line! This has been a challenge for 50 years or more for drivers, refusing to drive “unsafe equipment” or excessive hours of operation. The Canadian government is well aware,but lobbyists control the government decision making.Some things never change!

  • Hey Truck News. How be you follow this story to the end and show us when the driver cashes the cheque….it will never happen.