The law protects employees who, under certain circumstances, “blow the whistle,” or report to the government or law enforcement agency, employers who are breaking the law. Such employees may not be fired, mistreated, or otherwise retaliated against for “whistle blowing,” as long as the employee has a reasonable basis for his or her belief that the activity was illegal, even if the employer did not actually violate the law.

Employees must report the illegal activity of their employers to authorities outside the company. If the employee complains internally within the company, the employee is not protected by the whistleblower laws. However, he or she may be protected by retaliation laws, if the employee is complaining of discrimination or sexual harassment.

Furthermore, in response to recent corporate scandals, Congress has enacted the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which provides broad protections for employees of public companies who “whistle blow” or complain about fraud by their employers.

If you are encountering issues with your employer regarding whistle blowing, you might wish to contact an attorney. We have the experience to help you, and will be pleased to meet with you in an initial interview that will be free of charge. At that time, we will be able to determine whether we believe we can help you and you will have the opportunity to decide whether you wish to invite us to do so.