Roadway Express, Inc. v. Administrative Review Board, U.S. Department of Labor

# Roadway Express, Inc. v. Administrative Review Board ## What Happened A Roadway Express employee named Scott faced discipline from his employer for missing work due to illness. Scott claimed the company retaliated against him for reporting safety concerns, which would be illegal under whistleblower protection laws. ## What the Court Decided The court had a mixed ruling. It dismissed Scott's main whistleblower claim as no longer relevant. However, the court sided with Scott on another issue: Roadway Express violated the Surface Transportation Assistance Act by punishing him for his absences. The company was ordered to pay Scott $9,334.04 to cover his attorney's fees and legal costs. ## Why This Matters for Workers This case shows that employers cannot legally punish workers simply for taking time off due to illness, even when a whistleblower claim doesn't succeed. If a company retaliates against an employee through discipline or other negative actions, the worker may recover money for legal expenses. The ruling reinforces that workers have some protection when facing employer discipline related to health or safety issues.