[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 9]
[Revised as of July 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1977.4]

[Page 199]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR
 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                          OF LABOR--(CONTINUED)
 
PART 1977--DISCRIMINATION AGAINST EMPLOYEES EXERCISING RIGHTS UNDER THE WILLIAMS-STEIGER OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1977.4  Persons prohibited from discriminating.

    Section 11(c) specifically states that ``no person shall discharge 
or in any manner discriminate against any employee'' because the 
employee has exercised rights under the Act. Section 3(4) of the Act 
defines ``person'' as ``one or more individuals, partnerships, 
associations, corporations, business trusts, legal representatives, or 
any group of persons.'' Consequently, the prohibitions of section 11(c) 
are not limited to actions taken by employers against their own 
employees. A person may be chargeable with discriminatory action against 
an employee of another person. Section 11(c) would extend to such 
entities as organizations representing employees for collective 
bargaining purposes, employment agencies, or any other person in a 
position to discriminate against an employee. See, Meek v. United 
States, 136 F. 2d 679 (6th Cir., 1943); Bowe v. Judson C. Burns, 137 F. 
2d 37 (3rd Cir., 1943).