Whistleblowers stand up against illegal or dishonest acts on the part of their employer, co-workers, supervisors or management, to the public. External whistleblowers will speak out on the misconduct of an entity outside of their employment that they have found to be dishonest or unethical with respects to the law. This can include entities relating to the law, security, medical, media representations and more.
Often times whistleblowers will hold off on speaking the truth due to their scare of being fired for said retaliation. Did you know that there are anti-retaliation laws that protect individuals for such acts of honesty?
Misconduct or illegal activities within a small business or large corporation are not just nor right. These acts may go against state or federal laws, or may revolve around areas of concern such as fraud, healthy and/or safety risks for other individuals or related companies.
In the late nineteen eighties the United States brought about the first laws to protect whistleblowers, by promising them finances. These finances would be a certain percentage of the amount of the suit proceedings brought forth on the part of the company or corporation’s wrong-doings.
Under this law, an individual was often brought forward and accused of being part of such illegal or dishonest acts in working for the corporation or company in the suit. This lead to the firing and/or inclusion of the individual with respects to the claim.
As of two thousand and two whistleblowers are now protected under several acts from that year and prior years, to disallow employers to fire employees who take part in speaking out. The Office of the Whistleblower Protection Program, or the OWPP, also serves as a entity that supports whistleblowers and their legal rights as US citizens.
There are also other specific types of protection acts that now provide safe-haven for those in the Navy, Army, Marines, and more. Other countries have also jumped on board to protect their whistle blowing community, including that of the United Kingdom and Canada.
If you or someone you know has currently been fired or harassed on any level for acts of whistle-blowing in the United States, it is recommended that one speak to a Rio Grande Valley employment law attorney immediately. These professionals understand all of the applicable laws and acts relating to your particular case, and can get you the protection and legal advice necessary to file a claim. Being honest and looking out for the betterment of other individuals under the United States is a respected and protected act of duty.
Jeff Davis is the Owner of the Davis law firm and a highly experienced Rio Grande Valley wrongful termination attorney. To find out more information about a Rio Grande Valley employment lawyer, please visit www.jeffdavislawfirm.com.