1The Office of Administrative Law
Judges assigned this case an
ERA docket number and the ALJ labelled the parties "Claimant" and
"Employer." The party designations are hereby conformed to
comport with the usual practice in whistleblower cases. Although
this case does not arise under the Energy Reorganization Act, the
"ERA" designation in the docket number is adhered to for record
keeping consistency.
2Complainant had returned the
camera to the tugboat captain
who owned it. Tr. 25. Respondent's witness, IOFF supervisor
Johnson, testified that he saw a Phillips Petroleum pollution
consultant remove the film from the tugboat captain's camera,
that the consultant had the film developed, and that "nothing
came out." Tr. 114.
3The ALJ made several credibility
determinations and in each
instance he found Complainant's version of the facts to be more
believable than that of Respondent's witnesses. See, e.g., R.D.
and O. at 12: "In contrast with Claimant's testimonial and
documentary evidence, I found the Employer's witnesses unreliable
and for the most part lacking credibility." Concerning whether
Castalano fired Complainant for reporting the oil spill to the
Coast Guard, as Complainant testified, or for abandoning and
interfering with the IOFF crew, as Castalano testified, the ALJ
fully explained why he believed Complainant. See R.D. and O. at
11: while there was no documented prior history of personnel
problems with Complainant, there was a very close time sequence
within which Complainant photographed and complained about the
oil spill, was relieved by IOFF, reported the oil spill to the
Coast Guard, and was fired by Castalano. An additional review of
the record before me fully supports the ALJ's judgment.
4Although Complainant did not
work for IOFF directly, and hence
his complaint to IOFF personnel could be deemed "external" to his
employment, the Fifth Circuit defines external complaints as "the
employee's contact or involvement with a competent organ of
government . . . ." Brown & Root, 747 F.2d at 1036. Under
that analysis, Complainant's objection to IOFF personnel was an
internal complaint. Complainant objected orally and openly took
photographs, further demonstrating to supervisors on the scene
his objection to the spill. In the context of this case, taking
the pictures was an aspect of Complainant's objection and thus
was protected.
5Respondent is correct that the
ALJ erred in stating that
Phillips Petroleum, Inc., admitted violating the FWPCA and paid a
$5,000 fine for the oil spill. R.D. and O. at 11. Rather, the
record is silent as to Phillips Petroleum's response to a Coast
Guard "Water Pollution Violation Report" for which the potential
penalty was $5,000. In any event, the misstatement is not
material because to be covered under the employee protection
provision, a complaint need only be grounded in conditions
constituting a reasonably perceived violation of the underlying
act. See Johnson v. Old Dominion Security, Case No. 86-CAA-3,
et seq., Sec. Dec., May 29, 1991, slip op. at 15; Aurich v.
Consolidated Edison Co., Case No. 86-ERA-2, Sec. Rem. Order,
Apr. 23, 1987, slip op. at 4; Yellow Freight System, Inc. v.
Martin, 954 F.2d 353, 357 (6th Cir. 1992).
6In calculating the number of days
of back pay for the
duration of the IOFF job, the ALJ incorrectly relied upon the
Area Director's determination. R.D. and O. at 12. In this de
novo proceeding, I have not considered the Area Director's
determination except to note that it is final as to IOFF. The
record before the ALJ reveals that under a seven/seven shift,
Complainant would have worked August 2 - 8, August 16 - 22,
August 30 - Sept. 5, and Sept. 13 - 14, for a total of 23 days.
7See, e.g., Blackburn
v. Metric Constructors, Inc., Case
No. 86-ERA-4, Dec. and Order on Dam. and Att'y Fees and Remand,
Oct. 30, 1991, slip op. at 11-14, appeal docketed, No. 91-2385
(4th Cir. Dec. 20, 1991); Johnson v. Old Dominion Security, Case
Nos. 86-CAA-3, et seq., Sec. Dec., May 29, 1991, slip op. at 23-
24; Wells v. Kansas Gas & Elec. Co., Case No. 85-ERA-22, Sec.
Dec., Mar. 21, 1991, slip op. at 17, appeal dismissed, No. 91-
9526, (10th Cir. Aug. 23, 1991). See also B. Schlei and P.
Grossman, Employment Discrimination Law, Five-Year Cum. Supp.,
Ch. 38 at 540 and n.86 (2d ed. 1989).