Whistleblower laws are extremely common in order to protect employees who report illegal activities in which their employers are engaging. If you inform the authorities of shady or illegal operations in which you discover your employer involved, your employer may try to fire you in order to get back at you. You should not have to fear termination or any kind of mistreatment for doing the right thing, and that is why California takes extra care of such employees.
Just last year, three additional laws were put in place to bolster the California Whistleblower Protection Act. These three laws extend whistleblower protections to additional circumstances, including: internal whistleblowing?meaning letting a supervisor or manager know of illegal activity?protection for individuals acting on the employer’s behalf, such as third-party contractors or outside assistance, and protections for workers who report violations even if such duties are not part of their job.
Many states have laws in place to protect whistleblowers, but California continues to lead the pack when it comes to employee rights, and that is why our state proudly offers extensive protections to a great many different types of workers or employees. If these protections are violated, then the whistleblower could recover damages in the form of monetary compensation or reinstatement if employment was terminated.
Not only do workers who were wronged have a chance at being compensated, but the individual or group of individuals who sought to retaliate against the worker could face penalties, including jail time and more than $1,000 in fines. If you believe that you have been wrongfully mistreated as retaliation for whistleblowing, or if you believe that your rights as an employee have been violated in any way, consider meeting with an attorney to learn how you could be compensated.