Texas Worker Fired After Reporting Job-Related Injury to OSHA, Public Outraged

According to The Texas Tribune, on November 23, protesters gathered at a high-rise apartment project in Austin where an injured worker was fired after reporting the accident to OSHA. The protesters demanded that the worker, a 19-year-old, be rehired.

“Texas is being built on the backs of workers who are injured, even killed on the job, or are considered replaceable or disposable by their employers,” stated Emily Timm, deputy director of the Workers Defense Project, which organized the protest.

The Workers Defense Project stated that the 19-year-old worker was hit in the back by a piece of reinforcing steel after a load of the rods fell from a crane at the 7 Rio project, a high-rise apartment project located at Seventh and Rio Grande in Austin. At least two other workers sustained injuries.

The young worker, a member of the Workers Defense Project, told the organization about his accident and was told to seek medical attention. He was treated in a clinic designated by his employer, Capform Inc. of Carrollton. The Workers Defense Project called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and realized that OSHA had not been notified about the accident by the injured worker’s employer or by the general contractor, J.E. Dunn. The 19-year-old met with OSHA representatives on November 19, and Capform fired him the next day.

The Workers Defense Project is pressing OSHA to investigate the accident as a whistleblower retaliation case.

I Was Wrongfully Fired from My Job After an Injury. What Can I Do?

Federal law prohibits discrimination against employees for reporting safety violations. If you have been injured due to dangerous conditions at your job and have been wrongfully fired, speak with our Austin workers’ compensation attorney today to tell us about your situation and circumstances. We understand what you are going through and want to hear your story. Feel free to comment below or visit our Facebook page to share your experiences.

strong>>Did You Know: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas work-related deaths rose by more than 20 percent in 2012.

The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Source: http://www.texastribune.org/2013/11/23/injured-workers-firing-sparks-protest/