Brett Carlsen/Getty Images
Image

Flint Workers on Safe Ground in Water Crisis

Jan. 27, 2016
Public employees in Flint, Mich., have the legal right to share information about the water crisis with investigators.

As investigations into the water crisis in Flint, Mich., are underway, National COSH is calling for public workers to aid in the efforts.

The council is working to let public employees know that sharing information about the water struggles in Flint is their legal right.

“We need to get to the bottom of what happened in Flint and find out why tens of thousands of people, including workers, have been exposed to contaminated water,” said Jessica Martinez, acting executive director of National COSH.

“Public employees should know they can step forward and report any information they have about this public health crisis. Whistleblower laws protect them from any retaliation whatsoever if they share information about potential wrongdoing.”

Martinez said that both Michigan and deferral statutes make it illegal for employers to retaliate against whistleblowers. That includes firing, demoting or harassing employees who report potential violations of the law.

“Front-line workers often have crucial information about sources of environmental contamination that threaten workers and communities,” said Peter Dooley, a safety project coordinator at National COSH.

“It’s important for workers to know they have a legal right to come forward – and anybody who tries to intimidate or silence them is breaking the law.”

U.S. statutes protect workers who report violations of the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, while Michigan law protects employees of the state, including city, county and township workers. The Michigan Civil Service Commission also protects state workers, as does federal whistleblower law.

Michigan’s whistleblower statute

Rules of the Michigan Civil Service Commission

Federal whistleblower protection programs

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.

Connect on Google+ | LinkedIn | Twitter

Sponsored Recommendations

June 23, 2025
With the right workplace health and safety training, your organization can reduce risk and protect your employees.
June 23, 2025
This article covers the key steps to build a reliable SDS management program, from organizing your inventory and sourcing updated SDS to ensuring easy access and regular maintenance...
June 23, 2025
It's time to get a bit more granular and start to examine the types of metrics EHS departments should be tracking, starting with lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR).
June 23, 2025
With the number of lone workers on the rise, here are five facts every employer should know about lone working.

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!