Roadway Express, Inc. v. United States Department of Labor

**The Dispute** Peter Cefalu, a truck driver at Roadway Express, testified at a coworker's grievance hearing about falsified driving logs. These logs track how many hours drivers work, which is regulated by federal safety laws. After Cefalu gave his testimony, Roadway fired him. Cefalu claimed this was illegal retaliation for speaking up about safety violations. **The Court's Decision** The court ruled in favor of Cefalu, confirming that Roadway illegally fired him for testifying about the falsified logs. The court found this violated the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA), which protects truck drivers who report safety violations. Roadway was ordered to give Cefalu his job back, pay him for lost wages, and cover his attorney's fees. **What This Means for Workers** This case reinforces important protections for transportation workers who speak up about safety issues. Truck drivers and other transportation employees cannot be fired for testifying about or reporting safety violations, even if it involves their coworkers or employer. The law specifically protects these whistleblowing activities because public safety depends on honest reporting of transportation violations.