Aviation Company Accused of Retaliation, Must Pay Ex-Employee

The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered a California business aviation company to pay $958,000 in back wages and other costs to a former employee for alleged retaliation after the reporting of safety concerns, the department announced Wednesday.

After a former employee reported safety issues about Pegasus Elite Aviation Inc. that led to an on-site inspection from OSHA, the Calabasas company sent a falsified, negative report to the ex-worker’s new employer, violating whistleblower protections, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The employee was fired from the new position because of the report, and falsified information Pegasus sent to ...