Navy Fired Whistleblower After Reports of Fuel Safety Risks

The U.S. Navy is under fire for terminating a civilian whistleblower who reportedly discovered life-threatening risks to pilots and others due to the improper testing of aircraft fueling equipment and jet fuel that was found to degrade aircraft engines and cause flameouts.

The whistleblower was fired June 8, which just happened to be the same day Rep. Walter Jones (R-North Carolina) sent a letter to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) asking it to investigate the whistleblower’s concerns about his treatment at work.

The facility where the whistleblower worked offers maintenance and repair services to most of the weapons platforms used by the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy. Now, OSC is investigating the termination of the whistleblower as retaliatory action for the reports made by the whistleblower to the government. The OSC requested a 45-day stay of the firing, pending the completion of the investigation, as it believed there were reasonable grounds to believe the firing was retaliatory in nature.

Wrongful termination is illegal under federal law

Whistleblowers currently have more protections than ever in the United States. For example, whistleblowers are protected from retaliatory acts committed by their employers, including demotions, losses of privilege and termination. Any employee who believes he or she is being punished for blowing the whistle on wrongful activity may file a claim with various government agencies and even seek compensation for their losses.

To learn more about your options for filing a whistleblower report, contact a skilled Dallas attorney at Whistleblower Law for Managers.