The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) enforces the whistleblower protection provisions of 21 statutes that govern the environment, industrial safety, aviation safety, consumer product safety, railway safety, safe containers, and toxic substances control. Among all the anti-retaliation provisions, section 11(c) of U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act is only one of the statutes providing the prohibition. The provisions prohibit any employer from dismissing or retaliating in any way against any employee due to said employee exercising his/her rights to file a complaint, pursue litigation, or testify in a legal proceeding. While the 20 other whistleblower protection statutes are not enacted for labor protection purposes, they all empower OSHA to enforce whistleblower protection to protect workers from being discharged or retaliated.

By reviewing U.S. legal literature, we have found that OSHA appoints and set-ups Regional Administrators, Supervisors, Investigators, Offices of Investigative Assistance, Area Directors, Compliance Safety and Health Officers, National Solicitors of Labor, Regional Solicitors of Labor, and Regional Attorneys for enforcement. If any evidence supports an employee’s allegation of unfair dismissal or other adverse action, OSHA will issue an order requiring the employer to reinstate the employee, pay back-pay, restore benefits, and carry out other possible remedies.