{"abstract":"This document provides the final text of regulations governing the employee protection provisions of the National Transit Systems Security Act (NTSSA), enacted as Section 1413 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Commission Act), and the Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA), as amended by Section 1521 of the 9/11 Commission Act. The 9/11 Commission Act was enacted into law on August 3, 2007. FRSA was amended further in 2008. An interim final rule establishing procedures for these provisions and a request for public comment was published in the Federal Register on August 31, 2010. Ten comments were received. This rule responds to those comments and establishes the final procedures and time frames for the handling of retaliation complaints under NTSSA and FRSA, including procedures and time frames for employee complaints to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), investigations by OSHA, appeals of OSHA determinations to an administrative law judge (ALJ) for a hearing de novo, hearings by ALJs, review of ALJ decisions by the Administrative Review Board (ARB) (acting on behalf of the Secretary of Labor), and judicial review of the Secretary of Labor's final decision.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF LABOR","name":"Labor Department","id":271,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/labor-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/271","parent_id":null,"slug":"labor-department"},{"raw_name":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration","name":"Occupational Safety and Health Administration","id":386,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/occupational-safety-and-health-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/386","parent_id":271,"slug":"occupational-safety-and-health-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2015/11/09/2015-28040.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":1982,"title":29}],"citation":"80 FR 69115","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This final rule is effective on November 9, 2015.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket Number: OSHA-2008-0027"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2015-28040","effective_on":"2015-11-09","end_page":69138,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2015/11/09/2015-28040.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/11/09/2015-28040/procedures-for-the-handling-of-retaliation-complaints-under-the-national-transit-systems-security","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2015-28040?publication_date=2015-11-09","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2015-11-09/2015-28040/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":24,"page_views":{"count":1359,"last_updated":"2026-09-23 04:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-11-09/pdf/2015-28040.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2015-28040.pdf?1446817521","publication_date":"2015-11-09","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2015/11/09/2015-28040.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1218-AC36":{"issue":"201510","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AC36/procedures-for-handling-employee-retaliation-complaints-under-the-national-transit-systems-security-","title":"Procedures for Handling Employee Retaliation Complaints Under the National Transit Systems Security Act; Surface Transportation Assistance Act; and Federal Railroad Safety Act ","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201510&RIN=1218-AC36&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1218-AC36"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1218-AC36/procedures-for-handling-employee-retaliation-complaints-under-the-national-transit-systems-security-","title":"Procedures for Handling Employee Retaliation Complaints Under the National Transit Systems Security Act; Surface Transportation Assistance Act; and Federal Railroad Safety Act "},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=OSHA-2008-0027","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"OSHA-2008-0027","regulation_id_number":"1218-AC36","title":"Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints under Section 1413 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, the National Transit System Security Act, and the Federal Rail Safety Act, as amended by Section 1521 of the I","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2015-11-29T06:00:12Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":69115,"subtype":null,"title":"Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under the National Transit Systems Security Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act","toc_doc":"Procedures for the Handling of Retaliation Complaints Under the National Transit Systems Security Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Employment","Investigations","Mass transportation","Railroads","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Safety","Transportation","Whistleblowing"],"type":"Rule","volume":80}