In November 2012, President Barack Obama signed new whistleblower protections into law. Also known as the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, consists of protections for federal employees who are terminated for speaking out against illegal behaviors or actions on behalf of employees or their employer.
The Act, which was first passed in 1989, adds onto existing protections to those who disclose evidence of fraud, abuse, or waste they have encountered in the course of their employment. The new law provides greater insight to those seeking such relief.
According to the Wall Street Journal, informants in the private sector who expose violations of securities law can receive between 10% and 30% of a penalty if it’s more than $1 million under a program created by the Dodd-Frank Act. The program received more than 3,000 tips in the past year.
It is unlawful for an employer to retaliate against an employee in any way regarding complaints made to proper labor organization agencies for any legal claims which are filed by the employee as a result of workplace actions or conditions, if you feel like you have experienced retaliation contact your California employment lawyer.