PHOENIX — The state’s worker-safety agency issued a $72,417 penalty to Circle K Stores Thursday after saying the company retaliated against an employee for using paid sick time.
The Industrial Commission of Arizona said a fuel-truck driver took four days of sick leave between February and October of last year and two days of sick leave in January. The worker was given a written warning in October then placed on administrated leave in January after taking a sick day and later terminated the same month.
ABC15 has reached out to Circle K but has not yet heard back.
The penalty is a combination of lost wages and fines designed to deter companies from breaking laws. The worker is slated to receive the penalty money.
The Industrial Commission enforces laws related to worker safety and health, including workers’ compensation, wage payments, and child labor. The agency handles complaints from employees who believe employers have retaliated against them for exercising their rights under the Arizona Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Email ABC15 Investigator Anne Ryman at anne.ryman@abc15.com, call her at 602-685-6345, or connect on Twitter and Facebook.
