The laws for whistleblowing in the United States encourage everyone to disclose information about illegal activities that they have witnessed or known about in their course of work. Through the intervention of the U.S. Congress, whistleblowers are all given protection against reprisals and are even encouraged to expose illegal acts that they know about by means of giving incentives and financial rewards.
The Whistleblower Protection Law
The whistle blower protection law generally states that “No company or any employee, officer, contractor or subcontractor, or even an agent of such company, may dismiss, suspend, demote, harass, threaten, or in any other way discriminate against a particular employee because of any lawful act performed by the employee”.
This enactment protects the rights of any employee who is courageous enough to report illegal actions of his employer against possible retaliation. This protection is highly essential for the federal government and other relevant agencies to learn about the unlawful acts or unethical practices of some corporations that they would have otherwise not been made aware of.
Constraints under the whistleblower protection law.
1. The law strictly covers employees for exposing illegal acts which are only within the company. However, various public policies might arise that could as well protect the employee from retaliation
2. If it turns out that the employer did not break any law by the perceived and reported acts, the employee is entitled to protection from retaliation only if he reasonably believed that the employer was committing an illegal act.
3. The whistleblower protection statute doesn’t cover retaliation from an employer for complaints that regard to personal loathe. The law restricts the use of personal grudges or political differences to file complaints against one’s employer. Under such circumstances, an employee won’t be protected by the whistle blower protection law.
Conclusion
If you believe that you hold certain information about illegal activities committed by government agencies, organizations, or companies, do not hesitate to seek the help of a professional litigator. There are many lawyers specializing in litigation for whistleblowing cases that can help and guide you through the process. Let the truth be known- not because of what you will get for telling the truth, but because telling the truth is right. Serve your country by keeping your eyes open and reporting all forms of fraud that may come to your attention. After all, the U.S. government is intent on taking care of people like you by offering incentives to you if the case is proven in court and over and above all; offering you protection against retaliation from your employer.
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