AUGUSTA — The Maine Human Rights Commission found no reasonable grounds Monday to support accusations made against Maine Recycling Corp. that the company fired an employee in retaliation for whistle-blower activity.

Driver Dell Briggs of Lisbon filed a complaint with the Commission in November 2009 alleging that the recycling company violated the Maine Human Rights Act in terminating his employment after nearly four years on the job.

The Maine Whistleblowers’ Protection Act prohibits a company from threatening or firing an employee when that employee reports a violation of law or regulation that might put that employee or others at risk.

In early June, an MHR investigator filed a written recommendation that the Commission find reasonable grounds to believe that Maine Recycling Corp. fired Briggs in retaliation after he complained to company officials about what he believed to be violations of Maine Department of Transportation regulations regarding the limit on driving hours and then threatened to report the company to MDOT.

According to Briggs, he was fired the month after he threatened to report company practices to MDOT.

In reaching her recommendation to the Commission, the MHR investigator relied on written statements by Briggs and company officials, in addition to sworn affidavits provided to the investigator by four of Briggs’ co-workers. Of those affidavits, three supported Briggs’ assertions that he complained to company officials about being required to drive routes that violated MDOT hours-of-service driving rules.

The company denied that Briggs had ever complained to company officials about being forced to drive excessively long shifts in violation of rules limiting driving hours.

During the Commission’s investigation, Maine Recycling Corp. acknowledged that Briggs was fired, but company officials said Briggs’ “employment was terminated because of his negative attitude and confrontational manner.”

According to MHR Commission Executive Director Patricia Ryan, in a tie vote Monday the Commission did not accept the investigator’s recommendation. The Commission is required to have a majority vote to find reasonable grounds, Ryan explained, so the tie vote forced “the resulting finding of no reasonable grounds.”

Maine Recycling Corp.’s attorney, Jenny Burch, declined comment on the Commission action.

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