Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under the Employee Protection Provision of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is amending the regulations governing employee protection (or "whistleblower") claims under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 (STAA), 49 U.S.C. 31105. The amendments clarify and improve procedures for handling STAA whistleblower complaints and implement statutory changes enacted into law on August 3, 2007, as part of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Commission Act), Public Law 110-53, 121 Stat. 266. These changes to the STAA whistleblower regulations also make the procedures for handling retaliation complaints under STAA more consistent with OSHA's procedures for handling retaliation complaints under Section 211 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (ERA), 42 U.S.C. 5851 and other whistleblower provisions.