A Florida shooting range employee who was fired after reporting workplace safety concerns to OSHA will get $30,000 in back wages and compensatory damages, under a settlement with the agency.

The U.S. Department of Labor says the agreement with Orlando-based Shooting Gallery Range Inc. is the result of a U.S. District Court consent judgment issued January 24, 2020.

The employee alleged that the company fired him after he reported lead exposure concerns to the employer and OSHA. Reporting safety and health concerns to OSHA, or to an employer, is a protected activity under Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The consent judgment also forbids the company from violating provisions of Section 11(c), and requires the company to expunge the disciplinary actions from the employee's personnel file. OSHA will also provide training to this company's employees covering their rights under Section 11(c).

“The Occupational Safety and Health Act protects employees who exercise their right to report safety concerns, and it prohibits an employer from retaliating against an employee for reporting those concerns to a management official or to OSHA,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer, in Atlanta, Georgia.

OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than 20 whistleblower statutes. These statutes protect employees from retaliation for reporting violations of various workplace safety and health, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime and securities laws; and for engaging in other related protected activities. For more information on whistleblower protections, visit OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Programs webpage.