The protection of employees and their rights has always been a big issue in the workforce. The government continues to do everything possible to make sure that employees do not ever have to face employer retaliation. The workplace has developed greatly in this matter over the years and continues to develop. The United States Supreme Court has now ruled that private firm employees who deal with publicly traded companies and act as whistleblowers are protected from retaliation.
It came down to a 6-3 vote that came about when two whistleblowers were found to be safe from retaliation from their employer. They both brought to their employer concerns about the management of mutual funds. The decision was also based on an interpretation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
This is excellent news for employees in Indiana who work for private firms that deal with public companies as they can now be protected from employer retaliation, as are employees who work for public companies. Possible retaliation faced by whistleblowers often includes a hostile work environment, discrimination, wrongful termination and a host of other issues.
Retaliation continues to be a significant issue that employers need to strive to improve. No employee should risk losing their job for doing the right thing by expressing concerns to their employers or for reporting misconduct. Instead, they should be rewarded by their employer.
If you work at a private firm that contracts with a public company and are retaliated against or fired for being a whistleblower, you are now able to take legal action because of this U.S. Supreme Court decision. Taking legal action may allow you to receive compensation for loss of wages and punitive damages and may even help you get your job back. It is great that the government continues to progress when it comes to the well-being of employees.
Source: Huffington Post, “Supreme Court Justices Say Whistleblower Protections Extend To Some Private Firm Employees,” March 4, 2014
