The US Department of Labor announced February 19, 2021 that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration is now overseeing worker retaliation complaints filed under two new whistleblower statutes — the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act. Under the Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act, OSHA will investigate individual whistleblower’s complaints of retaliation for reporting criminal antitrust violations to their superiors or the federal government; or for showing cause, testifying or participating in, or otherwise assisting an investigation or proceeding related to antitrust law violations. In Anti-Money Laundering Act cases, OSHA will investigate individual whistleblower’s retaliation complaints for reporting money laundering-related violations to their superior or the federal government; or for showing cause, testifying or participating in, or otherwise assisting an investigation or proceeding related to a violation of anti-money laundering laws. Until OSHA issues interim final rules, the agency will process whistleblower complaints related to these statutes using procedures under the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century.
OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than 20 whistleblower statutes protecting employees from retaliation for reporting violations of various workplace safety and health, airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime, securities, tax, antitrust, and anti-money laundering laws, and for engaging in other related protected activities. For more information, visit www.whistleblowers.gov.
