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OSHA News Release
2005 - 09/13/2005 - OSHA Orders Bronx Bus Company to Rehire Driver and Pay Nearly $60,000 in Back Wages and Legal Fees |
OSHA News Release - Table of Contents |
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Region 2 News Release: 05-1693-NEW/BOS 2005-235 Tuesday, September 13, 2005 Contact: Ted Fitzgerald Phone: (617) 565-2074 OSHA Orders Bronx Bus Company to Rehire Driver and Pay Nearly $60,000 in Back Wages and Legal Fees
NEW YORK -- The U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has ordered Kids Bus Service, Bronx, N.Y., to rehire a driver fired for refusing to operate a school bus under unsafe circumstances. OSHA is ordering the bus service pay him nearly $60,000 in back wages, interest and damages. On Feb. 3, 2004, Jack Marziano was operating a school bus carrying teenagers when a disturbance broke out. Marziano was pelted several times on the back of the neck with packed ice and snow. He blacked out momentarily, became dizzy and felt he could not operate the bus safely. He refused to continue operating the bus, for which he was later fired. Marziano filed a complaint with OSHA Feb. 19, 2004. The agency's investigation found merit in Marziano's allegation that he had been discharged in violation of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA). OSHA determined that a reasonable bus driver would not have continued driving with students throwing packed snow and ice, after a blackout and while feeling dizzy and disoriented, because these conditions could have caused an accident. As a result, OSHA has ordered Kid's Bus Service to immediately reinstate Marziano to his former position; pay him $33,227.80 in lost wages, $1,288.82 in interest and $25,000 in compensatory damages; expunge any adverse references to the discharge in Marziano's personnel record; and refrain from negative comments about the discharge in response to any future requests for employment references. "The safety of both workers and passengers must be a paramount concern in operating buses and other commercial vehicles," said Patricia K. Clark, OSHA's regional administrator in New York. "We will not hesitate to take the necessary legal steps to protect employees' rights to safe working conditions." The STAA authorizes the Labor Department to investigate complaints by bus drivers and others involved in operating commercial motor vehicles who believe they have been discriminated against for their involvement in protected safety activities. If an OSHA investigation determines that an employee's complaint has merit, OSHA can order remedies such as reinstatement and back pay. Both the company and Marziano have 30 days to file objections and request a hearing on the matter with the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Administrative Law Judges. Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov. # # # U.S. Labor Department releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format upon request (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call (202) 693-7773 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance. |
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