Workers don’t usually take jobs expecting the need to report their employers for misconduct. However, some professionals do find themselves in that challenging position. They become aware of unsafe company practices or illegal activities and feel compelled to take action.
There are state regulations and federal statutes that protect those who act as whistleblowers. Workers should not have to worry about losing their employment or facing other forms of retaliation because they identified problematic behaviors at an organization.
Whistleblower protections help workers do the right thing without facing unfair consequences. The following are some of the protected workplace activities might make a worker eligible for whistleblower protection.
Filing an internal complaint
Sometimes, workers may believe that only one department plays a role in misconduct or that the company hierarchy may be unaware of unsafe or illegal activity. In such scenarios, advising management, compliance officers or human resources about significant concerns can constitute whistleblowing. Whether a worker draws attention to the harassment of their co-workers or violations of safety standards, notifying others within the company about operational issues makes an employee a whistleblower.
Involving regulatory authorities
There are a number of different agencies that help enforce federal standards for businesses. In scenarios where workers have reported issues, only to have their managers ignore them, they may need to involve outside authorities to resolve their concerns. The decision to file a report with a federal agency is a protected activity that makes a worker a whistleblower. Even though the company may face consequences, the employee should not.
Filing a qui tam lawsuit
Workers in specific fields, including health care and construction, may believe that their employers have violated billing regulations or committed fraud. In such cases, employees may choose to act as relators. They can file qui tam lawsuits against their employers alleging inappropriate billing conduct. A qui tam lawsuit brought under the False Claims Act may result in the employer owing the government money. Those who act as relators have protection as whistleblowers and may sometimes even receive a portion of the funds recovered by the government.
Learning more about whistleblower protection and making use of those protections can help workers stand up for themselves. Whistleblower protections limit the ability of companies to demote or terminate workers for internally or externally reporting problematic organizational practices.