The owners of a dental practice in North Richland Hills, Texas, must pay $15,706 in back wages to the employees they allegedly fired for raising COVID-19 safety concerns, according to a Feb. 21 news release from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
When the state of Texas banned specific dental procedures in March and April 2020, the dental practice initially furloughed its employees. While furloughed, a dental hygienist and assistant allegedly inquired about the safety measures that would be put in place when they returned to the practice. When other employees were asked to return, the hygienist's job was not reinstated and the assistant's offer to be rehired was rescinded, according to the release. Both employees were terminated.
OSHA determined the owners of Roger H. Bohannan DDS — Roger Bohannan, DDS, and David Bohannan, DMD — discriminated against the employees for exercising their right to express concerns about their safety and health.
The Labor Department filed a lawsuit against the practice owners in July 2021. On Feb. 3, the court entered a consent judgment in which the practice owners agreed to pay the back wages and required them to provide neutral work references for wrongfully terminated employees, according to the release.