US: A court has instructed Continental Cement to pay a worker who acted as an employee representative during Mine Safety and Health Administration (MHSA) inspections at its Hannibal, Missouri, quarry. The Insurance Journal newspaper has reported that the producer reduced the worker's pay as a mobile equipment operator by a total of US$388 over a period of days in March and April 2020. In addition to paying the worker, Continental Cement must pay a US$17,500 fine to the US Treasury for violation of the Mine Safety and Health Act. It is also required to expunge any adverse information related to the whistleblower complaint from the employee's personnel record and to post information on miner's rights in employee areas.
MSHA district manager Robert Simms said "The MSHA investigation found Continental Cement clearly discriminated against the worker for serving as the miners' representative. Federal discrimination laws exist to protect workers from penalties for serving as safety and health representatives while on the job." Simms concluded "The judge's decision sends the message that retaliation is a costly mistake for employers."
