THREE WAYS TO STRENGTHEN THE LAWS PROTECTING WHISTLEBLOWERS FROM A NASHVILLE WHISTLEBLOWER ATTORNEY6/21/2023
If you are thinking of blowing the whistle, contact Nashville Whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles for a free case evaluation
 If you are ready to blow the whistle, contact Nashville Whistleblower Attorney Timothy L. Miles
Whistleblowing is the act of reporting unethical or illegal conduct. It is not uncommon for employees to witness or discover activities within their organization that are unfair, unsafe, or otherwise unethical. To encourage employees to report unethical behavior without fear of repercussions, many states have implemented laws to protect whistleblowers and laws that provide for whistleblower awards. Laws with whistleblower protections either explicitly grant protections to employees who bring forth information about wrongdoing or implicitly create a safe space for whistleblowers by granting whistleblower protections under other laws (e.g., protection from termination based on a wrongful motive). These laws providing whistleblower protections have a positive effect on the number of people willing to report wrongdoing and create an environment conducive to honesty. Nevertheless, there are some limitations in whistleblower laws regarding what kinds of misconduct can be reported and appropriate methods of reporting it. Here are three ways you can strengthen whistleblower law so that it protects more people who are considering blowing the whistle on unethical conduct and filing whistleblower lawsuits.
Increase Protection for Employees Who Report Unlawful Activities
Whistleblower laws protect employees who report unethical activities that are unlawful, unethical, or otherwise contrary to professional standards. For example, if an employee witnesses his manager demanding sexual favors in exchange for a promotion, that employee has a reason for blowing the whistle. This is because sexual harassment is against the law. That employee might also blow the whistle if he or she notices that the company is violating certain laws, for example, by not having a proper permit for handling hazardous chemicals or not having proper safety training.
Broaden the Scope of Activities That Can Be Reported
Sometimes, employees are reluctant in blowing the whistle because they think their report falls outside the scope of what the whistleblower laws protect. This is why it is important for the law to explicitly protect a wide range of activities with strong whistleblower protections. To ensure whistleblower laws provide more protections for whistleblowers, they should broaden the scope of activities that can be reported. You can do this by explicitly listing more types of unlawful activities that employees can report as well as more types of violations employers are expected to follow. When deciding which activities to add to the law, consider what types of illegal practices employees might witness or be expected to follow. For example, laws covering food safety and equal employment opportunity are important because they protect the health and well-being of the public.
Add Provisions That Explicitly Protect Employees from Retaliation
Retaliation occurs when an employee is punished either during or after the act of whistleblowing. Perhaps the most serious whistleblower law is the federal False Claims Act, which allows individuals to report companies that defraud the government. The act contains strong whistleblower protections from retaliation by granting them legal protections such as immunity from lawsuits. This law is important because it encourages people to report companies that falsely bill the government for services by filing qui tam lawsuits. Similarly, many states have added provisions that explicitly protect whistleblowers from retaliation after the act of whistleblowing. This is important because it encourages employees to report wrongdoing without fear that they will be punished for their report.
Conclusion
Blowing the whistle is an important part of maintaining ethical standards in organizations. To encourage employees to report wrongdoing, laws with whistleblower protections should be strengthened. This can be done by increasing protection for employees who report unlawful activities, broadening the scope of activities that can be reported, and adding provisions that explicitly protect employees from retaliation after they report wrongdoing. Ultimately, strengthening these laws will help more people report unethical behavior and create a more honest and transparent workplace.
IF YOU ARE THINKING OF BLOWING THE WHISTLE, CONTACT NASHVILLE WHISTLEBLOWER ATTORNEY TIMOTHY L. MILES TODAY
If you have knowledge of fraud against or by the federal government, contact Nashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles who can guide you through the whistleblower process and explain your whistleblower protections. The consultation is free and confidential. Just complete the form below to get started or call (855) Tim-M-Law. Ask a Nashville Whistleblower attorney, you could be entitled to a significant whistleblower award.
Call today and see what a Nashville whistleblower attorney can do for you. NASHVILLE WHISTLEBLOWER ATTORNEY TIMOTHY L. MILESNashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles is a nationally recognized shareholder rights attorney raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Miles was recently selected by Martindale-Hubbell® and ALM as a 2022 Top Ranked Lawyer, 2022 Top Rated Litigator. and a 2022 Elite Lawyer of the South. Mr. Miles also maintains the AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, their highest rating for both legal ability and ethics. Mr. Miles is a member of the prestigious Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers: The National Trial Lawyers Association, a superb rated attorney by Avvo, a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by Premier Lawyers of America (2019) and recognized as a Distinguished Lawyer, Recognizing Excellence in Securities Law, by Lawyers of Distinction (2019). Mr. Miles has published over sixty articles on various issues of the law, including class actions, whistleblower cases, products liability, civil procedure, derivative actions, corporate takeover litigation, corporate formation, mass torts, dangerous drugs, and more. Please visit our website. Comments are closed.
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