The Northern Illinois Flight Center violated the whistleblower protection provisions of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century, known as AIR21, after it illegally terminating an employee, which was found following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Northern Illinois Flight Center terminated the employee, a pilot from Illinois, after he reported violations of the pilot certification process to the Federal Aviation Administration, and it now must immediately reinstate the employee and pay more than $500,000 in back wages, benefits and damages.

"Firing pilots for reporting inaccurate procedures to the FAA endangers other pilots, their passengers and the public at large," says Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "The Labor Department has a responsibility to protect all employees, including those in the aviation industry, from retaliation for raising safety concerns and exercising these basic worker rights."