An employer may not be held liable for a violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”) based solely on a supervisor’s knowledge of his own misconduct, the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta has ruled in a case of first impression for the circuit. ComTran Group v. U.S. Dep’t of Labor, No. 12-10275 (11th Cir. Jul. 24, 2013). Reversing the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission’s decision that the employer violated OSHA, the Court concluded the Commission erroneously had relieved the Secretary of Labor of her burden to prove the employer’s knowledge of the violation by holding that the supervisor’s knowledge of his own misconduct could be imputed to the employer.
The Court joins the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Tenth Circuits in so ruling. Click here for additional details.
