ML18153D150
| ML18153D150 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Surry  |
| Issue date: | 10/02/1992 |
| From: | Ebneter S NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | Stewart W VIRGINIA POWER (VIRGINIA ELECTRIC & POWER CO.) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9210140247 | |
| Download: ML18153D150 (3) | |
Text
e OCT O 2 1992
.Virginia Electric and Power Company ATTN:. Mr. W. L. Stewart Senior Vice President - Nucle~r 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 Gentlemen:
e
SUBJECT:
ALLEGED DISCRIMINATION AGAINST AN EMPLOYEE FOR HAVING ENGAGED IN PROTECTED ACTIVITIES On May 15, 1990, the U.S. Department of* Labor's Wage and Hour Division in Richmond, Virginia, received a complaint from a former contract employee of Virginia Electric and Power Company's Surry Power Station.
The complainant alleged he was dis~issed from employment because he had raised safety concerns while performing duties as a contract engineer for Omni Services, Inc., at the Surry Power Station.
By letter dated June 14, 1990, the Wage and Hour Division, Richmond, advised that the matter had been conciliated with a mutually agreeable settlement and that the case was being administ~atively closed.
Subsequent to the conciliation, you were requested by letter dated July 11, 1990, to provide information relating to the basis for the employment action against the complainant and to describe actions taken or.planned to assure the employment action did not have a chilling effect in discouraging other licensee or contractor personnel from raising perceived safety concerns.
In your response dated August 24, 1990, you provided the requested information and stated that the complainant was terminated for legitimate personnel reasons.
A second unrelated alleged discrimination case involving another complainant who filed a complaint with the Department of Labor on August 14, 1990, was also conciliated. The complainant alleged he was dismissed from employment because he had raised safety concerns while performing duties as a contract engineer for Power Systems Energy Services, Inc., at the Surry Power Station.
By letter dated November 5, 1990, the Wage and Hour Division, Richmond, advised that the matter had been conciliated with a mutually agreeable settlement and that the case was being administratively closed.
By letter dated November 21, 1990, we requested you to provide information as discussed above relative to the basis for the employ~ent -action and to describe actions to preclude a chilling effect on cither licensee or contractor personn~l.
In your response dated December 21, 1990, you provided the requested information and stated that you thoroughly reviewed your policies and procedures regarding discrimination with the management of the contractor involved in this matter and reiterated those policies as absolute requirements.
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e OCT O 2 1992 After review,ng detailed information associated with each of these cases, including your responses, we have determined that enforcement action ~ill not be taken.
While we could not establish that discrimination occurred in these cases, and although the cases were conciliated and subsequently settled, we are nevertheless concerned that a perception may have developed which could impact other employees and their willingness to raise perceived safety concerns.
The NRC expects licensees to remain alert to issues that could be viewed as discriminatory and. potentially create the atmosphere* where employees are hesitant to raise real or perceived safety issues to management.
No response to this letter is required.
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.790 of the NRC's "Rules of Practice," a copy of this letter will be placed in the NRC Public Document Room.
cc:
E. W. Harrell Vice President - Nuclear Services Virginia Electric & Power Company 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060 J. P. O'Hanlon Sincerely, ORIGINAL-S!GNE:D 'BY t. AQ tt:Y1:$
Stewart D. Ebneter Regional Administrator Vice President - Nuclear Oper~tions Vi.rginia Electric & Power Company 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060 M. L. Bowling, Jr., Manager Nuclear Licensing Virginia Electric & Power Company 5000 Dominion Boulevard Glen Allen, VA 23060 M. R. Kansler, Station Manager Surry Power Station P. 0. Box 315 Surry, VA 23883 Commonwealth of Virginia
I e
Vi rgi ni a Electric and Power Company bee: J. Lieberman, OE J. Goldberg, OGC B. Buckley, NRR Document Control Desk NRC Resident Inspector 3
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Route I, Box 166 Surry, VA* 23883
/;
OCT O 2 1992