OSHA Orders Small Fleet to Rehire Fired Trucker, Pay Back Wages
An Oregon trucker wrongly fired for refusing to drive an unsafe vehicle will get her job back, plus reimbursement for back wages and compensation for fees associated with the case, after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
by Staff
August 13, 2014
2 min to read
An Oregon trucker wrongly fired for refusing to drive an unsafe vehicle will get her job back, plus reimbursement for back wages and compensation for fees associated with the case, after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
OSHA has ordered Terry Unrein, an independent trucking contractor in Gresham, Ore., to reinstate an unidentified driver fired in late 2011 for refusing to drive a 10,000-pound truck with inadequate tire tread on public highways.
Ad Loading...
The small fleet reportedly had five drivers working for the company at the time of the firing.
Driving under these conditions violated federal transportation regulations, according to OSHA. Unrein fired the driver eight days after she had the truck's tire replaced before driving on the highway.
The driver filed a whistleblower complaint, and OSHA cited that the driver's termination violated the Surface Transportation Assistance Act's employee protection provisions.
Ad Loading...
Unrein has reportedly filed an appeal of the decision, according to Landlinemag.com, which could take a year to complete. The appeal does not stay the preliminary reinstatement order. He also claims the driver was terminated after being in an accident, but OSHA did not find evidence to support this claim in its investigation
Unrein has been ordered to pay back $115,200 in back wages and may be forced to pay $2,600 in attorney fees.
OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of more than 20 statues protecting employees who report violations of various types of business including those providing commercial motor carrier services.
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
ATA’s Women In Motion Council and Trucker Path highlight three truck stops that meet all seven safety-focused criteria and rank highest among female drivers.
Western Star is expanding its Star Nation Experience in 2026, adding new competitions and dealer participation to highlight operator skills and promote careers in trucking.
CarriersEdge announced the 2026 Best Fleets to Drive For overall winners, with Crawford Trucking, Fortigo Freight Services, and FTC Transportation receiving top awards.
The Department of Labor plans to expand Pell Grant eligibility to some shorter workforce training programs, a move the American Trucking Associations said will help strengthen commercial driver training schools and diesel technician training programs.
For an industry that has watched this issue go back and forth for years, the independent contractor proposal marks the latest swing in the regulatory pendulum.
America’s Service Line adopted Link’s SmartValve and ROI Cabmate systems to address whole-body vibration, repetitive strain, and driver turnover. The trucking fleet is already seeing measurable results.
