City employee rehired
BY JERRY ABBOTT
A Torrington city employee got his job back Monday, after a tentative
settlement regarding his earlier dismissal.
In July 2005, Jeff Craig, an employee of the Torrington Water Department, saw
non-chlorinated, non-potable water being released into the city water supply.
He advised his supervisor, who told him no action would be taken. Craig then
reported the incident to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA
contacted the city of
The Department of Labor, Occupational and Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) sent a letter in December 2005 to the city ordering Craig be given back
his job at the same pay and that he be reimbursed for back pay, legal fees and
compensatory damages. The city appealed the OSHA determination, but before a
hearing was held on the appeal, Craig and the city reached an out-of-court
settlement.
After investigation, OSHA determined that Craig had participated in protected
activity under the Safe Drinking Water Act in voicing concern to his supervisor
and the EPA about the release of non-potable, non-chlorinated water into the
city water supply. As a result, they ordered the city of
Craig’s attorney, Richard Renner, said the city appealed the OSHA
determination, and a hearing was set for April 18 in
“The matter has been settled and Jeff Craig (went) back to work on Monday,” Jim
Eddington, city attorney said. “Neither of the
parties is admitting any liability in this matter.”
Eddington said any other information concerning the
case is confidential.
Craig said Monday he is back to work in the same job he held before his water
contamination case.
“The check should be in the mail today (March 23) to Mr. Craig and to our
office,” Renner said. “We will wait 10 days for the check to clear and then
send the settlement to the judge.”
As of Tuesday, Renner said he had received no checks.
With mailing time and stated delays in forwarding settlement paperwork to the
settlement judge in
jabbott@torringtontelegram.com