2nd Circuit Sets Precedent on Railway Safety Law in CSX Case

A federal appeals court in Manhattan revived a former CSX Transportation Inc. train conductor’s retaliation lawsuit in a decision that clarified the scope of railway workers’ protections against punishment for reporting safety or security concerns.

In a case of first impression, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected a limit to railway worker protections based on the reasonableness of their reports that were made in good faith.

The appeals court reinstated Cody Ziparo’s lawsuit that had been thrown out by a district court. The CSX worker had complained that pressure from supervisors to falsify work logs caused ...