Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110
§80507 Employee Protection
Title 46 › Subtitle VIII — Miscellaneous › CHAPTER 805 — SAFE CONTAINERS FOR INTERNATIONAL CARGO › § 80507
Summary
Employers may not fire or punish someone for reporting an unsafe container or a break of this law or its rules. A worker must file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor within 60 days of the action. The Secretary can investigate and, if they find a violation, take the case to federal court. The court can stop the abuse and order fixes like rehiring the worker and paying back wages. The Secretary must tell the complainant within 30 days what action will be taken.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §80507
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Prohibition.—
A person may not discharge or discriminate against an employee because the employee has reported the existence of an unsafe container or a violation of this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter.
(b)Complaints.—
An employee alleging to have been discharged or discriminated against in violation of subsection (a) may file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor. The complaint must be filed within 60 days after the violation.
(c)Enforcement.—
The Secretary of Labor may investigate the complaint. If the Secretary of Labor finds there has been a violation, the Secretary of Labor may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States. The court has jurisdiction to restrain violations of subsection (a) and order appropriate relief, including reinstatement of the employee to the employee’s former position with back pay.
(d)Notice to Complainant.—
Within 30 days after receiving a complaint under this section, the Secretary of Labor shall notify the complainant of the intended action on the complaint.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 8050746 App.:1506.Pub. L. 95–208, § 7, Dec. 13, 1977, 91 Stat. 1479. In subsection (a), the words “in any manner” and “to the Secretary or his agents” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “or a regulation prescribed under this chapter” are added for consistency.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 80507
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110