Can a worker be protected from retaliation for reporting a workplace safety concern to a police department?

**Review-only candidate — limited federal OSHA overview.**

Federal OSH Act Section 11(c) prohibits discharge or discrimination because an employee filed a complaint or exercised a right under that Act. OSHA staff guidance says that protected activity can include an oral or written occupational safety or health complaint to a state or local agency that deals with employee hazards, including a police department. That guidance does not decide whether a report about a particular event meets that description or whether a firing was unlawful; whether this federal framework applies can also depend on the work setting and coverage rules, including Federal OSHA and State Plan distinctions. [1] [2] [3]

**Source-status note for review.** The U.S. Code page retrieved on October 25, 2026 displays text containing laws in effect on April 18, 2026, rather than certifying currentness through October 25. The OSHA Desk Aid was last revised October 9, 2024 and says that it is informational, may change, and may not yet reflect later authority. These limits are material review holds.