Austin Whistleblower Retaliation Attorney
Whistleblower Retaliation
A whistleblower is a brave employee who steps forward to call attention to an unethical or unlawful practice in his or her workplace. Internal whistleblowers report the problem to their supervisors or other employees ranked above them; external whistleblowers contact outside authorities or the press.
Retaliation Targeting Whistleblowers
Employers are not usually grateful to have their bad behavior publically exposed. If possible, they will often seek out some way to enact revenge on whistleblowers, or attempt to intimidate them into dropping their accusations.
At the offices of Austin retaliation lawyers Melton & Kumler, we’ve seen whistleblower retaliation take many forms, including:
- Threatening messages or behaviors
- Unfounded suspensions, demotions, or discharges
- Belittling, insulting, and otherwise harmful behavior
Protection for Whistleblowers
It is against the law for an employer to mistreat a whistleblower either for revenge or to intimidate him or her. There are both federal and state laws protecting people who speak up against unethical practices.
The federal law that addresses this issue is the anti-retaliation amendment to the False Claims Act, passed by Congress in 1986. This amendment states that any employee who suffers retaliation for being a whistleblower is entitled to whatever damages are necessary to compensate him or her.
In Texas, our legal system usually adheres to the rules of “at-will” employment, in which an employee can leave a job, or be discharged, at any time, for almost any reason. Whistleblower retaliation is recognized as an exception to at-will employment; it is illegal to discharge an employee as revenge for reporting illegal activity.
Our state law also offers special protection for government employees, to ensure that they are able to report any corruption they witness. To learn more, contact an Austin employment lawyer today.
Contact Us
If you are being punished for doing the right thing at work,
contact Austin whistleblower retaliation attorneys Melton & Kumler at 512-330-0017.