Feds say Avera fired helicopter mechanic for reporting Careflight safety concerns

Health system ordered to reinstate employee, pay back wages and damages

Avera McKennan has been ordered to reinstate a Careflight mechanic who federal authorities say was terminated for blowing the whistle on unresolved safety concerns.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration Thursday announced that a federal whistleblower investigation found the Avera helicopter ambulance servicer retaliated against a mechanic who reported safety concerns and filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration.

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OSHA found that the company’s actions violated federal protections for aviation employees, ordering the organization to reinstate the Aberdeen-based mechanic and to pay the employee more than $30,600 in back wages and $25,000 in damages. The order also forces Avera to remove negative reports from the mechanic’s personnel and employment records.