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In the U.S., it is against the law for an employer to retaliate against a worker who demands a safe and healthful workplace. Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and other federal laws, you have the right to raise safety-related questions and complaints on the job. You can discuss safety with other workers, ask your employer for information about hazards, and complain about hazards to your employer or to a government agency. Section 11(c) of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act is supposed to protect workers who ask questions or complain about safety or take action to protect themselves from dangerous conditions. But the law doesn't work very well. Unfortunately, employers do sometimes discriminate against workers for challenging unsafe working conditions. Employers know that there is only a small chance of
being punished for breaking the law protecting health and safety whistleblowers. And even when employers are caught, the penalty is usually light. So, even though your rights to a safe and healthful workplace are protected by law, your employer may try to retaliate against you for exercising them. You can discourage illegal retaliation and defend against it, if necessary, by familiarizing yourself with your rights and specific ways to protect yourself. For more on worker health and safety rights, go to the Workers' Toolbox web page of the The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health at: http://www.coshnetwork.org/english_resources.htm#Whistleblower . This clip is from the 1980 OSHA film, Worker to Worker.

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