Whistleblower statutes are intended to protect employees who report their employers for violating civil regulations or criminal laws. Reporting such activity about one’s own employer may sound like a high risk move because of the fear of retaliation. This is the very reason that whistleblower laws have been put into place. Whistleblower laws prohibit retaliation against certain employees who complain about violations of the law or waste of public funds.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania protects public employees, as well as employees of private entities that accept state funding, from retaliation for whistleblowing. There are also various federal laws that protect whistleblowers, such as:
- The Sarbanes Oxley Act, which applies to violations of Securities and Exchange Commission regulations or fraud against shareholders
- The Surface Transportation Assistance Act, which applies when commercial motor vehicle drivers refuse to violate federal regulations
- The Occupational Safety and Health Act, which applies when employees file a complaint with OSHA or participate in an OSHA investigation.
- The False Claims Act, which applies when an employee acts in furtherance of a False Claims Act claim against her employer for misusing federal funds
If you believe you have been retaliated against for opposing or reporting a violation of the law or the misuse of government funds, contact us today.