11/16/2015

PipelineSafetyImprovementof2002(PSIA)

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PipelineSafetyImprovement(PSIA)
49U.S.C.60129
60129.Protectionofemployeesprovidingpipelinesafetyinformation.
(a)DISCRIMINATIONAGAINSTEMPLOYEE
(1)INGENERALNoemployermaydischargeanyemployeeorotherwisediscriminateagainstanyemployeewith
respecttohiscompensation,terms,conditions,orprivilegesofemploymentbecausetheemployee(oranyperson
actingpursuanttoarequestoftheemployee)
(A)provided,causedtobeprovided,orisabouttoprovideorcausetobeprovided,totheemployerorthe
FederalGovernmentinformationrelatingtoanyviolationorallegedviolationofanyorder,regulation,or
standardunderthischapteroranyotherFederallawrelatingtopipelinesafety
(B)refusedtoengageinanypracticemadeunlawfulbythischapteroranyotherFederallawrelatingto
pipelinesafety,iftheemployeehasidentifiedtheallegedillegalitytotheemployer
(C)provided,causedtobeprovided,orisabouttoprovideorcausetobeprovided,testimonybefore
CongressoratanyFederalorStateproceedingregardinganyprovision(orproposedprovision)ofthis
chapteroranyotherFederallawrelatingtopipelinesafety
(D)commenced,causedtobecommenced,orisabouttocommenceorcausetobecommenceda
proceedingunderthischapteroranyotherFederallawrelatingtopipelinesafety,oraproceedingforthe
administrationorenforcementofanyrequirementimposedunderthischapteroranyotherFederallaw
relatingtopipelinesafety
(E)provided,causedtobeprovided,orisabouttoprovideorcausetobeprovided,testimonyinany
proceedingdescribedinsubparagraph(D)or
(F)assistedorparticipatedorisabouttoassistorparticipateinanymannerinsuchaproceedingorinany
othermannerinsuchaproceedingorinanyotheractiontocarryoutthepurposesofthischapterorany
otherFederallawrelatingtopipelinesafety.
(2)EMPLOYERDEFINEDInthissection,theterm'employer'means
(A)apersonowningoroperatingapipelinefacilityor
(B)acontractororsubcontractorofsuchaperson.
(b)DEPARTMENTOFLABORCOMPLAINTPROCEDURE
(1)FILINGANDNOTIFICATIONApersonwhobelievesthatheorshehasbeendischargedorotherwisediscriminated
againstbyanypersoninviolationofsubsection(a)may,notlaterthan180daysafterthedateonwhichsuchviolation
occurs,file(orhaveanypersonfileonhisorherbehalf)acomplaintwiththeSecretaryofLaborallegingsuch
dischargeordiscrimination.Uponreceiptofsuchacomplaint,theSecretaryofLaborshallnotify,inwriting,theperson
orpersonsnamedinthecomplaintandtheSecretaryofTransportationofthefilingofthecomplaint,oftheallegations
containedinthecomplaint,ofthesubstanceofevidencesupportingthecomplaint,andoftheopportunitiesthatwill
beaffordedtosuchpersonorpersonsunderparagraph(2).
(2)INVESTIGATIONPRELIMINARYORDER

(A)INGENERALNotlaterthan60daysafterthedateofreceiptofacomplaintfiledunderparagraph(1)
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(A)INGENERALNotlaterthan60daysafterthedateofreceiptofacomplaintfiledunderparagraph(1)
andafteraffordingthepersonorpersonsnamedinthecomplaintanopportunitytosubmittotheSecretary
ofLaborawrittenresponsetothecomplaintandanopportunitytomeetwitharepresentativeofthe
SecretaryofLabortopresentstatementsfromwitnesses,theSecretaryofLaborshallconductan
investigationanddeterminewhetherthereisreasonablecausetobelievethatthecomplainthasmeritand
notifyinwritingthecomplainantandthepersonorpersonsallegedtohavecommittedaviolationof
subsection(a)oftheSecretaryofLabor'sfindings.IftheSecretaryofLaborconcludesthatthereis
reasonablecausetobelievethataviolationofsubsection(a)hasoccurred,theSecretaryofLaborshall
includewiththeSecretaryofLabor'sfindingswithapreliminaryorderprovidingthereliefprescribedby
paragraph(3)(B).Notlaterthan60daysafterthedateofnotificationoffindingsunderthissubparagraph,
anypersonallegedtohavecommittedaviolationorthecomplainantmayfileobjectionstothefindingsor
preliminaryorder,orboth,andrequestahearingontherecord.Thefilingofsuchobjectionsshallnot
operatetostayanyreinstatementremedycontainedinthepreliminaryorder.Suchhearingsshallbe
conductedexpeditiously.Ifahearingisnotrequestedinsuch60dayperiod,thepreliminaryordershallbe
deemedafinalorderthatisnotsubjecttojudicialreview.
(B)REQUIREMENTS
(i)REQUIREDSHOWINGBYCOMPLAINANTTheSecretaryofLaborshalldismissacomplaint
filedunderthissubsectionandshallnotconductaninvestigationotherwiserequiredunder
subparagraph(A)unlessthecomplainantmakesaprimafacieshowingthatanybehavior
describedinsubsection(a)wasacontributingfactorintheunfavorablepersonnelactionalleged
inthecomplaint.
(ii)SHOWINGBYEMPLOYERNotwithstandingafindingbytheSecretaryofLaborthatthe
complainanthasmadetheshowingrequiredunderclause(i),noinvestigationotherwise
requiredundersubparagraph(A)shallbeconductediftheemployerdemonstrates,byclearand
convincingevidence,thattheemployerwouldhavetakenthesameunfavorablepersonnel
actionintheabsenceofthatbehavior.
(iii)CRITERIAFORDETERMINATIONBYSECRETARYTheSecretaryofLabormaydetermine
thataviolationofsubsection(a)hasoccurredonlyifthecomplainantdemonstratesthatany
behaviordescribedinsubsection(a)wasacontributingfactorintheunfavorablepersonnel
actionallegedinthecomplaint.
(iv)PROHIBITIONReliefmaynotbeorderedundersubparagraph(A)iftheemployer
demonstratesbyclearandconvincingevidencethattheemployerwouldhavetakenthesame
unfavorablepersonnelactionintheabsenceofthatbehavior.
(3)FINALORDER
(A)DEADLINEFORISSUANCESETTLEMENTAGREEMENTSNotlaterthan90daysafterthedateof
conclusionofahearingunderparagraph(2),theSecretaryofLaborshallissueafinalorderprovidingthe
reliefprescribedbythisparagraphordenyingthecomplaint.Atanytimebeforeissuanceofafinalorder,a
proceedingunderthissubsectionmaybeterminatedonthebasisofasettlementagreemententeredinto
bytheSecretaryofLabor,thecomplainant,andthepersonorpersonsallegedtohavecommittedthe
violation.
(B)REMEDYIf,inresponsetoacomplaintfiledunderparagraph(1),theSecretaryofLabordetermines
thataviolationofsubsection(a)hasoccurred,theSecretaryofLaborshallorderthepersonorpersons
whocommittedsuchviolationto
(i)takeaffirmativeactiontoabatetheviolation
(ii)reinstatethecomplainanttohisorherformerpositiontogetherwiththecompensation
(includingbackpay)andrestoretheterms,conditions,andprivilegesassociatedwithhisorher
employmentand
(iii)providecompensatorydamagestothecomplainant.Ifsuchanorderisissuedunderthis
paragraph,theSecretaryofLabor,attherequestofthecomplainant,shallassessagainstthe
personorpersonsagainstwhomtheorderisissuedasumequaltotheaggregateamountofall
costsandexpenses(includingattorney'sandexpertwitnessfees)reasonablyincurred,as
determinedbytheSecretaryofLabor,bythecomplainantfor,orinconnectionwith,the
bringingthecomplaintuponwhichtheorderwasissued.
(C)FRIVOLOUSCOMPLAINTSIftheSecretaryofLaborfindsthatacomplaintunderparagraph(1)is
frivolousorhasbeenbroughtinbadfaith,theSecretaryofLabormayawardtotheprevailingemployera
reasonableattorney'sfeenotexceeding$1,000.
(4)REVIEW
(A)APPEALTOCOURTOFAPPEALSAnypersonadverselyaffectedoraggrievedbyanorderissuedunder
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(A)APPEALTOCOURTOFAPPEALSAnypersonadverselyaffectedoraggrievedbyanorderissuedunder
paragraph(3)mayobtainreviewoftheorderintheUnitedStatesCourtofAppealsforthecircuitinwhich
theviolation,withrespecttowhichtheorderwasissued,allegedlyoccurredorthecircuitinwhichthe
complainantresidedonthedateofsuchviolation.Thepetitionforreviewmustbefilednotlaterthan60
daysafterthedateofissuanceofthefinalorderoftheSecretaryofLabor.Reviewshallconformtochapter
7oftitle5,UnitedStatesCode.Thecommencementofproceedingsunderthissubparagraphshallnot,
unlessorderedbythecourt,operateasastayoftheorder.
(B)LIMITATIONONCOLLATERALATTACKAnorderoftheSecretaryofLaborwithrespecttowhichreview
couldhavebeenobtainedundersubparagraph(A)shallnotbesubjecttojudicialreviewinanycriminalor
othercivilproceeding.
(5)ENFORCEMENTOFORDERBYSECRETARYOFLABORWheneveranypersonhasfailedtocomplywithanorder
issuedunderparagraph(3),theSecretaryofLabormayfileacivilactionintheUnitedStatesdistrictcourtforthe
districtinwhichtheviolationwasfoundtooccurtoenforcesuchorder.Inactionsbroughtunderthisparagraph,the
districtcourtsshallhavejurisdictiontograntallappropriaterelief,including,butnottobelimitedto,injunctiverelief
andcompensatorydamages.
(6)ENFORCEMENTOFORDERBYPARTIES
(A)COMMENCEMENTOFACTIONApersononwhosebehalfanorderwasissuedunderparagraph(3)may
commenceacivilactionagainstthepersonorpersonstowhomsuchorderwasissuedtorequire
compliancewithsuchorder.TheappropriateUnitedStatesdistrictcourtshallhavejurisdiction,without
regardtotheamountincontroversyorthecitizenshipoftheparties,toenforcesuchorder.
(B)ATTORNEYFEESThecourt,inissuinganyfinalorderunderthisparagraph,mayawardcostsof
litigation(includingreasonableattorneyandexpertwitnessfees)toanypartywheneverthecourt
determinessuchawardofcostsisappropriate.
(c)MANDAMUSAnynondiscretionarydutyimposedbythissectionshallbeenforceableinamandamusproceedingbrought
undersection1361oftitle28,UnitedStatesCode.
(d)NONAPPLICABILITYTODELIBERATEVIOLATIONSSubsection(a)shallnotapplywithrespecttoanactionofanemployeeof
anemployerwho,actingwithoutdirectionfromtheemployer(orsuchemployer'sagent),deliberatelycausesaviolationofany
requirementrelatingtopipelinesafetyunderthischapteroranyotherlawoftheUnitedStates."

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