New whistleblower committee named; first meeting announced

The panel charged with advising OSHA on the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act is set to meet later this month. Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis announced the meeting date and the 12 new appointees.

The Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee is charged with advising, consulting with, and making recommendations on ways to improve the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of the program. At the Jan. 29 meeting, the members will make recommendations regarding the development and implementation of better customer service to workers and employers, improvement in the investigative and enforcement processes, improvement of regulations governing OSHA investigations, and recommendations for cooperative activities with federal agencies responsible for areas also covered by the whistleblower protection statutes enforced by OSHA.

"Protecting workers who identify wrongdoing is an essential cornerstone of the U.S. Department of Labor's worker protection enforcement efforts," Solis said. "The members of the whistleblower committee, who represent the interests of labor, management and the public, will utilize their expertise to provide valuable advice and recommendations to help OSHA strengthen and improve our whistleblower protection program."

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The 12 members each serve two-year terms. Representing the public interests are Jonathan Brock, retired associate professor, Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, and chairman, Hanford Concerns Council;Richard Moberly, associate dean, University of Nebraska; and Emily Spieler, Edwin W. Hadley professor of law, Northeastern School of Law (chairperson).

Representing management are David Eherts, vice president and chief safety officer, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.; Gregory Keating, shareholder, cochair of the whistleblowing practice group and member of the board of directors, Littler Mendelson PC; Marcía Narine, visiting professor at the University of Missouri, and compliance consultant, MDO Partners; and Kenneth Wengert, director of safety, environment and business continuity planning, Kraft Foods.

The labor representatives are Ava Barbour, associate general counsel, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America; Eric Frumin, health and safety director, Change to Win; Billie Garde, partner, Clifford & Garde LLP; and Nancy Lessin, program director, United Steelworkers' Tony Mazzocchi Center for Health, Safety and Environmental Education.

One member represents OSHA state plans -- Christine Dougherty, discrimination investigator, Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry.

Three nonvoting members representing federal agencies are Rina Tucker Harris, enforcement attorney, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; John Van Steenburg, chief safety officer, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; and Jason Zuckerman, senior legal advisor, U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

Read more at the WorkersComp Forum homepage.

January 28, 2013

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