Ex-SCE Manager Says He Was Fired For Raising San Onofre Safety Concerns
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A former Southern California Edison manager sued his former employer Tuesday, alleging he was fired for reporting safety concerns at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.
The plantiff also believes he was treated differently from white managers because he is Latino.
"This case arises at a time of unprecedented concerns about nuclear power plants along our shores," the suit brought by Paul Diaz says, alluding to ongoing concerns about nuclear fallout from earthquake and tsunami damage at Japanese power plants.
Southern California Edison does not comment on pending litigation, the company's Gil Alexander told reporters.
"However, we can say that, by policy, SCE considers retaliation against employees who raise safety concerns a termination offense," Alexander said.
The complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges retaliation for reporting violation of a regulation, wrongful termination, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress and defamation.
According to his complaint, Diaz worked as a manager of business accounting and project services at the nuclear power plant located near San Clemente.
In February 2010, a nuclear power watchdog group received "numerous anonymous calls and emails" from plant insiders expressing concerns about shortcuts on the testing of new generators, alleged safety violations and the promotion of a "culture of cover-up," the suit states.
A month later, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission sent a letter to SCE's then-chief nuclear officer and senior vice president about the "chilling effect" of the work environment at the facility, according to the suit. The purpose of the letter was to make sure SCE fostered a feeling among workers that they were encouraged to talk about safety concerns, Diaz alleges.
Diaz claims that when he told Pamela Panek, who was his boss and the plant's manager of nuclear business administration, about some of the safety concerns of fellow employees, she ordered him to not address the complaints. He also maintains management told the complaining employees they should not have talked about the problems with him.
Last August, Diaz, frustrated with not being able to resolve his concerns internally, contacted the on-site NRC inspector's office at San Onofre, which requested information about his allegations from plant officials, according to his court papers.
Diaz went on vacation the next month and returned in early October, the suit states. Hours after being turned down in an effort to discuss safety concerns at the plant with another San Onofre manager, he was fired, according to his court papers.
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