Orange County Whistleblower Protection Lawyer
Illegal and improper conduct in the workplace is, unfortunately, more common than any of us would like to accept. Employees who witness superiors or coworkers behaving illegally, or otherwise have reason to suspect that their employer is breaking some state or federal law or regulation, should not be afraid to speak out. California, perhaps more than any other state in the country, takes allegations of improper workplace conduct seriously. If you have witnessed inappropriate conduct in your company or have been the victim of improper behavior firsthand, it is vital that you take the proper steps to report the conduct. The Orange County whistleblower protection lawyers at Coast Employment Law are here to help you if your employer retaliates against you for lawfully speaking out against their improper conduct.
What is whistleblower retaliation?
Whistleblowing occurs when an employee reports a violation of a law, a safety violation, or refuses to disobey the law when prompted by their employer. The various whistleblower defense laws protect conduct including internal reporting of unlawful or fraudulent conduct to a supervisor or human resources, efforts taken to remedy unlawful or fraudulent conduct, reporting conduct to an outside administrative or other governmental entity such as the police, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or bringing a lawsuit or other claim.
If the employer finds out about the whistleblower and then takes some adverse action against the employee, the employer is engaging in unlawful retaliation. Retaliation can take various forms. At the most extreme, an employer may terminate a worker after learning that they reported a violation. Retaliation also includes demoting or refusing to promote an employee, cutting their pay or denying a merited bonus, or other adverse conduct such as harassment, threats, coercion, or discrimination.
Whistleblower Protection in California
California protects whistleblowers, whether they work at private companies or for local or state employers. There are several California laws that apply to whistleblower and retaliation situations.
The California Whistleblower Protection Act provides protections for state employees who report improper governmental activity. The California False Claims Act prohibits retaliation against whistleblowers who report attempts to defraud the State of California. California law, moreover, provides rewards for employees who report such unlawful conduct. California has specific whistleblower protections for certain fields, such as the medical profession. California also has a general whistleblower statute that protects employees who report what they believe to be violations of state or federal law.
Additionally, there are numerous anti-retaliation provisions in federal law that apply to specific types of allegations. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act protect employees who report financial misconduct or violations of the federal securities laws. The federal False Claims Act protects whistleblowers against retaliation for reporting fraudulent conduct by a worker’s employer, superiors, or coworkers. The federal Whistleblower Protection Act protects federal workers who report illegal conduct by government employers and supervisors, including improper use of funds, safety violations, and failure to comply with environmental regulations such as toxic waste dumping, among other conduct.
Contact An Experienced Orange County Whistleblower Protection Lawyer Today
The seasoned Orange County whistleblower defense lawyers at Coast Employment Law will go the distance for you. We are well-known throughout southern California for both our tenacity and experience; we will work to protect your rights and achieve the best possible outcome for your case. If you or anyone you know in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties, or anywhere in California, needs legal help, call Coast Employment Law today at 714-551-9930, or fill out the contact form on this website to set up a free consultation.
