U.P. ordered to rehire worker, pay $325,000

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130812/MONEY/130819886/1685#u-p-ordered-to-rehire-worker-pay-325-000

By Emily Nohr / World-Herald staff writer

A federal judge has ordered that Union Pacific Railroad reinstate and pay $325,000 in damages to a North Platte, Neb., employee who was terminated after reporting a work-related injury.

Pamela Lakes, an administrative law judge at the U.S. Department of Labor, said the Omaha-based railroad must rehire Brian Petersen to his apprentice machinist position in North Platte “as soon as possible” and pay him $325,000 in damages.

Petersen was injured in 2009 after another employee ran over his foot while parking his vehicle. Both employees — including Petersen, because he had been talking on his cellphone at the time of the accident — were disciplined. Petersen was later fired.

In his complaint, Petersen said that U.P. illegally terminated his position as a result of his having suffered a minor injury on the job and turning in the required report. U.P. denied the injury incident had anything to do with Petersen's dismissal, which occurred within two weeks of the accident, after Petersen had returned to work.

FULL story at link.