• Qui Tam
  • SEC
  • CFTC
  • FCPA
  • Whistleblower Resources
  • FAQS
Subscribe
Donate
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
The Truth at Any Cost.
Qui Tam, Compliance and Anti-Corruption News.
SIGN THE PETITION FOR NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY IN 2023
Whistleblower Network News
  • Qui Tam
  • SEC
  • CFTC
  • FCPA
  • Whistleblower Resources
  • FAQS
Subscribe
Donate
No Result
View All Result
Whistleblower Network News
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Michigan truck driver wins against Domino’s

WNN StaffbyWNN Staff
February 24, 2011
in News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Share on TwitterShare on FacebookShare on LinkedInEmail

The Department of Labor’s Administrative Review Board (ARB) issued a ruling last month finding in favor of whistleblower Lavan Williams against his former employer, Domino’s Pizza on claims of retaliatory firing. The ARB’s decision affirms an order by the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in favor of Williams. It has now been over three years since Williams filed his claim for back pay and other damages from Domino’s. Williams, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, filed his complaint under the the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA). The ARB held that Williams was entitled to protection even after he refused to rat out his co-workers. The ARB also held that it was proper for the ALJ to accept into evidence a transcript of Williams’ unemployment hearing.

Williams worked with other drivers in delivering supplies to Domino’s restaurants. Domino’s policy was to have one driver drive while the other one rested so that neither driver would exceed the hours-of-service (HOS) rule of the Department of Transportation. Other drivers often harassed Williams for not working beyond the legal hours to help them with their deliveries, a practice that was endorsed unofficially by Domino’s who often gave truck routes that required drivers to work beyond the legal limit of hours. Williams objected to working on deliveries during his rest time. Needless to say, some of his co-workers who wanted help unloading were less than happy with Williams. Williams made a complaint about HOS violations on Domino’s compliance hotline. Domino’s policy was that such complaints would be anonymous. However, soon after Williams made the complaint, his supervisors called him in and grilled him about his complaint. They wanted to know which co-workers pressured him to do unloading during his rest time. Williams refused to say. Domino’s soon thereafter fired Williams in October of 2007, claiming that it was due to him not reporting a minor accident that he was involved in while driving a company truck.

Support Whistleblower Network News

The ARB agreed with the ALJ that Domino’s stated reason for firing Williams was “without credence.” Superiors at Domino’s testified that they had never received any report by Williams about the accident but were contradicted by other supervisors who were aware that Williams had reported the accident. At one point, a supervisor told Williams that since he had “been able to call the compliance hotline, he should have been able to contact the accident hotline.” This comment helped connect the discharge to Williams’ safety complaint.
The ARB also held that Williams refusal to name the names of his co-workers did not affect this retaliation claim. His refusal to violate the HOS rule, and his hotline call, were still protected activities, even if he refused to name names. Finally, the ARB held that Williams could use as evidence the testimony of Domino’s witnesses at his unemployment hearing.

Workers should never have to choose between reporting illegal requests and keeping their job. Our roads will be safer with drivers like Williams insisting that they get the rest required by federal law before they get behind the wheel. Williams pursued his case without an attorney. Congratulations to him.

This blog entry was drafted with the assistance of intern Jesse Meade.

Tags: Trucker Whistleblowers
Previous Post

Moral Courage in Organizations

Next Post

UBS Banker, Bradley Birkenfeld, blew the whistle on Credit Suisse

WNN Staff

WNN Staff

Next Post

UBS Banker, Bradley Birkenfeld, blew the whistle on Credit Suisse

Please login to join discussion

Receive Daily Alerts

Subscribe to receive daily breaking news and legislative developments sent to your inbox.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Most Popular

Change the Culture, Make National Whistleblower Day Permanent

Tell President Biden to “Finish the Job” for Whistleblowers

Whistleblower Advocates See Parallels to Enron in Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

Whistleblower Jóhannes Stefánsson Plans to Testify at Fishrot Trial in Namibia

WNN Exclusive Interview with Social Security Whistleblowers Sarah Carver and Jennifer Griffith — Part 1

Whistleblower Raised Concerns of Rodents, Spiders in Kitchen of Childcare Facility, Then Fired; OSHA Rules They Were Retaliated Against

Whistleblower Poll

Whistleblower Poll
Whistleblower Poll

Exclusive Marist Poll: Overwhelming Public Support Among Likely Voters For Increased Whistleblower Protections

byGeoff Schweller
October 6, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

STAY INFORMED.
Subscribe to receive breaking whistleblower updates.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About Us

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Careers

Subscribe

  • Daily Mail
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • YouTube Channel

Contribute

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Reprint Guidelines

Your Experience

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Help

  • The Whistleblowers Handbook
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Advertise
Whistleblower Network News

Whistleblower Network News is an independent online newspaper providing our readers with up-to-date information on whistleblowing. Our goal is to be the best source of information on important qui tam, anti-corruption, compliance, and whistleblower law developments. 

Submit an Article

Copyright © 2021, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

This Newspaper/Web Site is made available by the publisher for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this website, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Newspaper/Web Site publisher. The Newspaper/Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

SIGN THE PETITION FOR NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY IN 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Exclusives
  • Government
    • False Claims-Qui Tam
    • Federal Employees
    • Intelligence
  • Corporate
    • CFTC & Commodities
    • Dodd-Frank
    • IRS & Tax
    • SEC & Securities
  • Features
  • Legislation
  • International
    • Foreign Corruption
  • Rewards
  • Whistleblower of the Week
  • Environment & Climate
  • Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Employment
    • Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblowers
    • Retaliation
    • OSHA
  • Media
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • National Whistleblower Day
  • Whistleblower Poll
  • Whistleblower Resources
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Resources for Locating An Attorney
    • The New Whistleblowers Handbook
  • National Whistleblower Day ’23

Copyright © 2020, Whistleblower Network News. All Rights Reserved.

Become a Whistleblower Network News Subscriber

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Subscribe to WNN

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Subscribe to WNN

Add New Playlist

Go to mobile version