Idaho employer fined $100K for retaliating against safety whistleblower
Judge calls co. owner's conduct "reprehensible"
The owner of a Sandpoint, Idaho oil change facility will pay $100,000 to an employee who was fired for reporting safety concerns to OSHA.
A federal judge upheld the findings on Sept. 29 of an OSHA investigation. Judge B. Lynn Winmill of the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho cited Sydney Oskoui, owner of Sandpoint Gas N Go Lube Center Inc., for his “reprehensible” conduct. Calling it a clear case of intentional retaliation, Winmill also ordered Oskoui and his company to pay $979 in damages and interest to compensate the employee for his lost wages.