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OSHA Seeks Input on Whistleblower Protection Guidelines

Nov. 9, 2015
OSHA is accepting public comments on a document designed to help employers develop anti-retaliation programs to protect whistleblowers.

OSHA is accepting public comments on a draft document designed to help employers develop anti-retaliation plans to protect employees who raise concerns about workplace conditions.

Protecting Whistleblowers: Recommended Practices for Employers for Preventing and Addressing Retaliation, when finished, will give public, private and nonprofit employers guidance on protecting whistleblower rights.

The document will contain information about creating leadership commitment, an anti-retaliation culture and anti-retaliation training; and about responding to reports of retaliation and monitoring the progress of the program.

The OSHA document is based on recommendations of the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee’s Best Practices for Protecting Whistleblowers and Preventing and Addressing Retaliation.

OSHA namely seeks responses to these questions:

  • Are there any important features that employers should include in an anti-retaliation program not addressed in the document? If so, please describe what additional features you think should be included.
  • Are there any concepts in the document that are difficult to understand? If so, please describe them and, if possible, how you would recommend that OSHA make these concepts more clear.
  • What are the challenges to implementing the recommendations in the document? Please describe those challenges and, if possible, how you would recommend that OSHA address them in this guidance document.
  • Are there issues specific to small businesses that need to be addressed? If so, please describe those issues and, if possible, how you would recommend that OSHA address them in this or a separate guidance document.
  • Are there industry-specific issues in developing an anti-retaliation program that you would like to see addressed, possibly in a separate document? If so, please describe those issues and, if possible, how you would recommend that OSHA address them in this or a separate guidance document.

Comments will be accepted until Jan. 19, 2016.

About the Author

Ginger Christ | Associate Editor

Ginger Christ is an associate editor for EHS Today, a Penton publication.

She has covered business news for the past seven years, working at daily and weekly newspapers and magazines in Ohio, including the Dayton Business Journal and Crain’s Cleveland Business.

Most recently, she covered transportation and leadership for IndustryWeek, a sister publication to EHS Today.

She holds a bachelor of arts in English and in Film Studies from the University of Pittsburgh.

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