Federal employment regulations and state statutes protect employees. There are various laws that limit the conduct of businesses in certain scenarios and extend specific legal protections to individual professionals. Workers have the right to report sexual harassment and to request medical leave in some situations.
They have the right to organize with one another. They also have the right to speak up about significant safety concerns or illegal activity. In some cases, workers may have to act as whistleblowers by drawing attention to concerning practices by their employers. In those situations, workers may worry about the possibility of an employer trying to punish them by retaliating against them. Thankfully, whistleblower laws protect professionals from punishment. Employers should not demote, terminate or otherwise punish employees who act as whistleblowers.
What types of behavior might make an employee a whistleblower?
Reporting concerns to management
Many whistleblowers try to address their concerns about a company within the organization. They might reach out to someone in human resources, management or compliance to advise them of their concerns about current company operations. Workers might report issues related to safety statutes. They could also raise questions about activities that they believe might be illegal. Companies notified of worker concerns should seek to address them promptly. The organization should not punish the worker for drawing attention to the issue.
Notifying regulatory agencies
Workers who worry about safety issues or illegal activity may believe that management is already aware or that company leaders have actively participated in the misconduct. In such scenarios, those employees may decide to involve external agencies. State and federal regulatory authorities can intervene to enforce the law or evaluate company practices. Workers who decide to notify regulatory authorities of their concerns should not be at risk of punishment for doing so.
Filing a qui tam lawsuit
Some professionals, including those in the health care sector, may become aware of fraudulent financial activity involving government insurance programs or projects. In those situations, professionals may be able to file qui tam lawsuits. They take legal action against their employers on behalf of the government. The decision to file a qui tam lawsuit makes an employee a whistleblower and protects them from punishment by their employer.
Those preparing to act as whistleblowers or concerned about retaliation after whistleblowing may need help protecting themselves, and that’s okay. Workers who learn more about whistleblower protections are less likely to endure unfair retaliation without recourse.