Filing a Whistleblower Complaint

If an employer retaliates against an employee for exercising their rights, the employee has 30 days to file a complaint with OSHA.

Employees may file a whistleblower complaint in the following ways:

1. Online. Employees may complete the Online Whistleblower Complaint Form to submit their complaint. Complaints received online from workers located in states with OSHA-approved State Plans will be forwarded to the appropriate State Plan for response.
2. Fax/Mail. Employees may fax or mail a letter describing their complaint or complete and mail the Online Whistleblower Complaint Form to your local OSHA Regional or Area Office, making sure that their correspondence includes their name, address, and telephone or fax number so they can be contacted for follow-up.
3. Telephone. Employees may call their local OSHA Regional or Area Office. OSHA staff can discuss the complaint and answer questions.

Note the following:

• OSHA accepts complaints in any language.
• OSHA conducts an interview with each complainant to determine the need for an investigation. If evidence supports the worker's claim of discrimination, OSHA will ask the employer to restore the worker's job, earnings, and benefits.
• There is an opportunity to file a complaint more than 30 days after the incident. OSHA publishes a document called Summary of OSHA Whistleblower Statutes to determine the time limit that applies to an employee's complaint.
• For states with OSHA-approved State Plans, employees may file both a state and federal complaint under both the State Plan and federal OSHA.

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