Laws on behalf of whistleblowers play a crucial role in protecting employees who come across and report illegal activities within the workplace. California’s whistleblower laws protect these individuals from retaliation while holding employers accountable for unlawful conduct that harms their workers and the general public.
According to the state’s Labor Code Section 1102.5, an employer cannot enforce rules and policies that prevent employees from reporting violations of state or federal laws within their organization. Furthermore, employers cannot retaliate against an employee for being a whistleblower or denying that they participated in activities that violate state and federal regulations.
If an employee is subjected to retaliation by the employer for whistleblowing, they may be entitled to back pay, value of lost benefits, and other monetary damage. For more information suing an employer for violating the California’s whistleblower protection laws, contact the offices of California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group.
Protections for Whistleblowers
Employees in California are protected from whistleblower retaliation under several laws. The protection is meant to encourage the reporting of unlawful activities, while making sure that the worker is not punished by their employer. Here are the laws that offer protection to whistleblowers:
Labor Code 1102.5
– employers cannot retaliate against employees for disclosing violations of state and federal laws to law enforcement and government agencies. Additionally, this section of California’s Labor Code protects workers that refuse to take part in unlawful activities at their workplace.
Labor Code 98.6
– This section of the Code offers protection to employees that report workplace violations to the California Labor Commissioner. Most of these complaints have to do with hour and wage violations, which include:
- Failing to comply with minimum wage requirements
- Not paying workers overtime
- Violating rules for meal and rest breaks
Labor Code 6310
– Retaliation against employees that file complaints about hazardous conditions at their job (ones serious enough to cause serious injury or death) is unlawful under California Labor Code 6310.
Government Code 8547
– if you are an employee of the State of California, you are protected from whistleblower retaliation under the California Whistleblower Protection Act. This legislation protects state government employees who report:
- Corruption, bribery, or fraud within a government agency / department
- Hazardous work conditions that endanger the public or other government employees
- Activity that constitutes gross negligence (incompetence or inefficiency) or willful misconduct
Public employee whistleblower cases are especially complicated, so please seek advice from a seasoned labor law attorney as soon as possible.
What to Do If You are Suffering from Whistleblower Retaliation
Legal options are available for those who are victimized by employer retaliations for whistleblowing. Possible remedies you can explore include:
- Filing a complaint with the California Labor and Workplace Development Agency, which you are required to do before you can file a lawsuit
- Talk to a employment rights lawyer about filing a workplace retaliation lawsuit for monetary damages
We are here 24/7 to help you with either of these options, so don’t hesitate to give us a call. We also provide free second opinions if you have problems with a pending lawsuit that you would like to discuss with another attorney.
Seek Help from a California Employment Lawyer
Our legal team is here to help you navigate the legal process if your right to report illicit activity at your workplace was violated by your employer. Our sole mission is to represent your interests and ensure that you receive compensation for the harm you suffered.
We are prepared to represent you for $0 upfront, and there is no cost to you whatsoever until we obtain your settlement from the other party. If we don’t succeed in bringing about a favorable resolution to your case, you owe $0 in legal fees, which is our promise to you under the Zero Fee Guarantee.
Contact our law firm today and schedule a free consultation with a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit attorney.
