What’s considered retaliation under OSHA’s whistleblower protection program?

Retaliation is taking an adverse action against an employee for engaging in protected activity. Adverse action can include:

• Firing or laying off
• Demoting
• Denying overtime or promotion
• Reducing pay or hours
• Giving an employee a reassignment that affects his or her prospects for promotion
• Disciplining
• Denying benefits
• Failing to hire or rehire
• Blacklisting (intentionally interfering with an employee’s ability to obtain future employment)
• Intimidating/harassing
• Making threats