DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Federal investigators have ordered a Dallas church to reinstate and pay back wages to an employee who was fired after raising concerns about its childcare center.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) claims that the New Mount Zion Baptist Church, which owns and operates the childcare center, wrongfully terminated a nutrition specialist after they raised concerns about food safety.

According to OSHA, the nutritionist raised concerns about rats, insects, and a broken air conditioner in the cafeteria and kitchen of the center to the Dallas County Health Department (DCHD) in May 2021.

After raising his concerns, investigators claim, the church cited the employee with two violations despite "positive feedback for his work, and no [prior] disciplinary actions."

In July 2021, as the air conditioning unit was finally being repaired, the employee noticed an infestation of rats, roaches, and rat feces in the kitchen. He reported the infestations the next day, but the childcare center's assistant director said that the facility had already been treated by exterminators.

The next month, the nutritionist noticed another rat infestation in the cafeteria near where the children slept. He took pictures to document the infestation and reported it to the DCHD.

Later that day, after DCHD notified the church about the complaint, the church held a special board meeting to discuss the nutritionist and his complaint. At the meeting, OSHA claims,...

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