BNSF Railway Owes Fired Whistle-Blower $147K, OSHA Says

A fired railroad track inspector is due $147,000 in back wages and other compensation because BNSF Railway Company terminated him after he reported track defects, OSHA said Dec. 29.

“BNSF employees have the right to protect their safety and that of other employees and the public without fear of retaliation by their employer,” the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Region 8 administrator, Gregory Baxter, said in a release.

OSHA alleges BNSF, a subsidary of of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act prohibiting employers from punishing workers for reporting safety issues or injuries. The agency didn’t identify the ...