OSHA to Revise Whistleblower Investigations Manual
In response to external and internal reviews of the operation and effectiveness of OSHA's Whistleblower Protecton Program, OSHA has announced significant changes in how the Agency runs the program. OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of 21 different statutes, including Section 11(c) of the OSH Act and other workplace and environmental safety and health laws.
The significant changes announced by OSHA include:
- Reorganizing the Agency so that the Whistleblower Protection Program reports directly to the Assistant Secretary of OSHA;
- Adding 25 new investigators; and
- Revising the Whistleblower Investigations Manual to "provide further guidance on the enforcement program to help ensure consistency and quality of investigations."
Employers should continue to monitor OSHA's actions in this area carefully and, in particular, review the updated Investigations Manual once it is released.
