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The U.S. Department of Labor has ordered two railroads to pay three workers a total of $650,729 in back wages and damages for retaliating against the employees after they reported workplace injuries and safety concerns.

The Chicago office of the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted investigations into the incidents and is enforcing the violations under the whistleblower provisions included in the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

OSHA found that the Illinois Central Railroad wrongfully terminated two employees for reporting separate workplace injuries at the Markham Railroad Yard in Markham, Ill. In one case, a conductor reported an injury and was later terminated for violating safety rules. In another case, an injured carman was fired for allegedly violating the railroad’s injury reporting procedures. OSHA concluded that both employees were terminated in reprisal for reporting the work-related injuries.

Meanwhile, OSHA determined that a Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad conductor was terminated for raising concerns about workplace safety and reporting that a trainmaster had instructed him to operate a train in violation of Federal Railroad Administration rules.