The worker in question has been awarded compensation after termination for reporting safety concerns.

Maersk Line Limited, a leading marine cargo services provider, has agreed to alter its safety reporting policies and compensate a seaman it had terminated after they reported safety issues to the U.S. Coast Guard. This development follows a U.S. Department of Labor investigation and a three-day hearing in June 2024.

According to a recent release, OSHA found that Maersk's policy—which required employees to notify the company before contacting federal agencies—violated the federal Seaman’s Protection Act. The investigation began after the seaman reported safety concerns aboard the Safmarine Mafadi in December 2020, including defective lifeboat equipment, crew alcohol use, inadequate supervision of cadet seamen and a faulty bilge system.

“The Department of Labor will enforce workers’ protected rights as whistleblowers under federal law,” Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said in a statement. “No employer may violate whistleblower regulations or create policies that require employees to notify their employer before they report concerns to federal regulatory agencies. This seaman showed the kind of bravery for which mariners have long been known by raising concerns that, left unchecked, could have endangered everyone aboard the Safmarine Mafadi.”

As part of the settlement, Maersk has agreed to remove the requirement for workers to notify the company before contacting the U.S....

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