Riverside Whistleblower Cases & Unlawful Retaliation Lawyer
A whistleblower is any person who reports unlawful activity, fraud, abuse, corruption, waste, or public safety hazards to a person who is in a position to address wrongdoing. Whistleblowers are typically employees who work within a business, organization, or agency that is engaged in the unlawful or dangerous behavior that is being reported. Employees have various rights under whistleblower laws, and employers have certain responsibilities. An experienced Riverside whistleblower lawyer at our firm can provide you with additional information and can begin working on your case.
Federal and State Laws Protecting Riverside Whistleblowers
Both federal and state laws protect whistleblowers in Riverside, California. Those laws generally include:
- California Whistleblower Protection Act; and
- The Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) under federal law.
Both laws not only protect whistleblower activities, but they also protect employees against employer retaliation.
Unlawful Retaliation for Exercising Rights Under a Whistleblower Law in Riverside
Employers cannot take any retaliatory actions against employees for exercising their rights under federal or state whistleblower laws. All of the following are protected activities under federal and state whistleblower laws in California:
- Filing a whistleblower complaint;
- Disclosing information that the employee believes to be a violation of the law, or evidence of gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or employer behavior that poses a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety;
- Providing evidence related to a whistleblower investigation.
Retaliation can take many different forms, and all of the following actions by an employer are unlawful if they are taken in response to an employee exercising protected rights, participating in an investigation, or any of the other protected activities outlined above:
- Reprimanding the employee;
- Physically or verbally abusing the employee;
- Intimidating the employee;
- Denying the employee a reappointment or a promotion;
- Threatening to take legal action against the employee, like reporting the employee for his or her immigration status or threatening to call the police to investigate the employee for an alleged crime;
- Giving the employee a poor performance evaluation;
- Transferring the employee to a position or shift that is less desirable;
- Engaging in increased scrutiny of the employee during the employee’s working hours;
- Spreading false rumors about the employee or a member of the employee’s family;
- Making work for difficult for the employee in any way;
- Demoting the employee;
- Firing the employee; and/or
- Any other adverse action taken in response to the employee exercising his or her rights under state or federal whistleblower laws.
Contact Our Dedicated Riverside Whistleblower Lawyers
If you are an employee who has been targeted with adverse action by your employer because you have engaged in protected whistleblowing activities, or if you are an employer dealing with a whistleblower allegation, our Riverside whistleblower attorneys are here to assist you. We have extensive experience representing clients in employment law matters in California and can talk with you today about the whistleblower case at issue. Contact the Law Office of Karen J. Sloat, APC to learn more.
