[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 9]
[Revised as of July 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1981.102]

[Page 220-221]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR
 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                          OF LABOR (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1981_PROCEDURES FOR THE HANDLING OF DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS UNDER 
SECTION 6 OF THE PIPELINE SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2002--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart A_Complaints, Investigations, Findings, and Preliminary Orders
 
Sec. 1981.102  Obligations and prohibited acts.

    (a) No employer may discharge any employee or otherwise discriminate 
against any employee with respect to the employee's compensation, terms, 
conditions, or privileges of employment because the employee, or any 
person acting pursuant to the employee's request, engaged in any of the 
activities specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (5) of this section.
    (b) It is a violation of the Act for any employer to intimidate, 
threaten, restrain, coerce, blacklist, discharge or in any other manner 
discriminate against any employee because the employee has:
    (1) Provided, caused to be provided, or is about to provide or cause 
to be provided to the employer or the Federal Government, information 
relating to any violation or alleged violation of any order, regulation, 
or standard under chapter 601, subtitle VIII of title 49 of the United 
States Code or any other Federal law relating to pipeline safety;
    (2) Refused to engage in any practice made unlawful by chapter 601, 
in subtitle VIII of title 49 of the United States Code or any other 
Federal law relating to pipeline safety, if the employee has identified 
the alleged illegality to the employer;
    (3) Provided, caused to be provided, or is about to provide or cause 
to be provided, testimony before Congress or at any Federal or State 
proceeding regarding any provision (or proposed provision) of chapter 
601, subtitle VIII of title 49 of the United States Code or any other 
Federal law relating to pipeline safety, or testimony in any proceeding 
under chapter 601, subtitle VIII of title 49 of the United States Code 
or any other Federal law relating to pipeline safety, or a proceeding 
for the administration or enforcement of any requirement imposed under 
chapter 601, subtitle VIII of title 49 of the United States Code or any 
other Federal law relating to pipeline safety;
    (4) Commenced, caused to be commenced, or is about to commence or 
cause to be commenced a proceeding under chapter 601, subtitle VIII of 
title 49 of the United States Code or any other Federal law relating to 
pipeline safety, or a proceeding for the administration or enforcement 
of any requirement imposed under chapter 601, subtitle VIII of title 49 
of the United

[[Page 221]]

States Code or any other Federal law relating to pipeline safety; or
    (5) Assisted or participated or is about to assist or participate in 
any manner in such a proceeding or in any other action to carry out the 
purposes of chapter 601, subtitle VIII of title 49 of the United States 
Code or any other Federal law relating to pipeline safety.
    (c) This part shall have no application to any employee of an 
employer who, acting without direction from the employer (or such 
employer's agent), deliberately causes a violation of any requirement 
relating to pipeline safety under chapter 601, subtitle VIII of title 49 
of the United States Code or any other Federal law.