When a workplace commits illegal activities or knowingly creates environments that promote discrimination, they count on their employees, keeping quiet. Employees often do not realize that they would be legally protected if they report any illegal activity.
Thanks to The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, employees have the reassurance of the safety of their job after reporting violations. The protection act has a broad umbrella of coverage, and it would benefit employees to know what rights they have.
How the act protects employees
Employees are often afraid of reporting anything they notice at work, in fear of retaliation from coworkers or employers. The truth is, employees have protection when they are doing the right thing. Any employee can count on protection from this act if they report:
- Gross mismanagement
- Abuse of authority
- A danger to public health and safety
- Violation of the law
- Wasting funds
This act specifies that no one can take any action or make any threat of action against an employee for reporting anything on the list above.
Responding to retaliation
In the possible event that retaliation occurs, like harassment or denied promotions, an employee has the right to file a claim against their party. An attorney can help an employee seek compensation after someone violated their employee rights. Courts take these cases extremely seriously, and settlements can have a value of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Employees have rights
No company is above the law. When an employee notices their employer or coworker committing serious misdoings, they should have confidence that reporting this behavior is the right thing to do. No employee, you, or anyone else, should have any doubts as to what to do when it comes to standing up for what is right.
