Whistleblower Retaliation

State and federal whistleblower laws protect employees from retaliation for reporting or opposing wrongful, illegal, or unsafe workplace practices. These laws prohibit employers from firing, demoting, threatening, harassing, denying a promotion to, or reducing the pay of an employee who engages in activity protected. In doing so, they give whistleblowers vital workplace protections and encourage employees to speak out against unlawful or unsafe workplace practices, hold employers accountable under the law, and stop wrongful practices from continuing.

Testimonial Background
Correia & Puth’s whistleblower lawyers believe employees should be free from intimidation, harassment, or threats to their livelihood when they take a stand against wrongful or unsafe workplace conduct or actions. No employee should penalized for helping to make their employer follow the law or because they refused to engage in fraud or allow unsafe workplace conditions.

Numerous states and the federal government have enacted a web of whistleblower protections in a variety of areas that protect employees from retaliation for blowing the whistle on wrongful corporate or government conduct.  These laws are intended to safeguard employees who complain about, report, or oppose activity related to:

  • Violations of state or federal laws or regulations;
  • Gross mismanagement, waste of funds, or abuse of authority in the government;
  • Health care fraud, including Medicare and pharmaceuticals;
  • Fraud or mismanagement of funds in federal contracts, including defense contracts;
  • Corporate and accounting fraud;
  • Occupational safety and health;
  • Nuclear safety;
  • Environmental issues, including clean air, chemicals, water pollution, drinking water, solid waste, and toxic substances; or
  • Transportation, such as trucking, aviation, railroads, or public transit.

In some cases, federal agencies may pay significant monetary awards to people who provide them with information that assists them in enforcing the law.  These agencies include the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  These reward and bounty programs now serve as an important mechanism for enforcing existing laws against corporate or government fraud, waste or abuse, as well as tax evasion.

The array of federal and state whistleblower laws is complex because there is no single “whistleblower law.” Instead, different laws protect different types of whistleblower-related activities, the laws contain different filing deadlines, and they require varying filing procedures. Several whistleblower laws require employees to file whistleblower retaliation claims with government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Labor or the Office of Special Counsel, while others may allow employees to file their case in court. Whatever the issue, employees should act quickly to ensure their rights are protected, – for example, some statutes require employees to file a charge no later than 30 days after their employer retaliates against them.

The whistleblower lawyers at Correia & Puth, PLLC are committed to ensuring that employees are protected when they take a stand for workplace safety, speak up about their employer’s unlawful behavior, and hold employers accountable for wrongdoing.  Correia & Puth vigorously advocates on behalf of workplace whistleblowers. If you are aware of wrongful workplace conduct, or if you fear or have experienced workplace retaliation because of your reports, please contact us right away.

Accommodations for Disabilities

We are committed to ensuring that all employees with disabilities have equal access to the workplace.

 

Age Discrimination

We fight employers who use age bias to discourage older workers from staying on the job or keep them from advancement.

 

Corporate Accountability

Corporations must be held accountable for wrongdoing, and whistleblowers often keep employers honest.

 

COVID-19 Protections for Health Workers

If you are a health care worker facing retaliation because you raised concerns, there are laws in place to protect you.

 

Disability Discrimination

We are dedicated to safeguarding the rights of individuals with disabilities and vigorously advocate for equal access.

 

Equal Pay Rights

Motivated by our commitment to workplace fairness, we fight employers who have shortchanged an employee because of bias.

 

Family & Medical Leave Discrimination

The FMLA provides job protected leave so that employees are not forced to choose between their job and caring for loved ones.

 

Family Responsibilities Discrimination

Employees should not be penalized for taking care of their loved ones, and we are committed to fighting for your rights.

 

Federal Employees

We help federal sector employees understand workplace rights and navigate the unique federal agency employment context.

 

Federal Employee Whistleblower Protections

Employees and contractors of the federal government have strong protections from retaliation for speaking out.

 

Gender Identity Discrimination

We believe no employee should face harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of who they are or how they identify.

 

National Origin Discrimination

We believe all employees should be given a fair chance to succeed regardless of their culture and background.

 

Pregnancy Discrimination

Pregnancy and motherhood are not incompatible with work. Our firm fights for expecting mothers and mothers with newborns.

 

Race Discrimination

Employers are forbidden from making decisions to hire, fire, promote, or to provide training or other benefits because of a person’s race.

 

Religious Discrimination

We value individuals' religious beliefs and personal choices and are committed to ensuring the ability to practice without fear.

 

Retaliation

We believe that employees should be able to assert their legal rights without risking their livelihoods.

 

Severance Agreements

Our practice of negotiating severance agreements is built upon years of experience working on behalf of employees at all levels.

 

Sex Discrimination

We work to eliminate gender discrimination, unfair pay, sexual harassment, and unlawful glass ceilings.

 

Sexual Harassment

We are dedicated advocates for the right to a workplace free from a sexually hostile work environment.

 

Sexual Orientation Discrimination

We believe that no employee should be fired, shortchanged, or treated differently because of who they are and whom they love.

 

Title IX Claims

We are a national leader on use of Title IX as an effective tool for an educational environment free from discrimination and retaliation.

 

Veterans (USERRA)

USERRA provides job protections to employees who temporarily leave private employment for military service.

 

Wage & Commission Claims

We fight employers who have wrongfully withheld salaries, commissions, and wages, and hold them accountable for what's unpaid.

 

Whistleblower Retaliation

Employees should be free from intimidation, harassment, or threats when taking a stand against wrong or unsafe workplaces.

 
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