Whistleblowers are often the unsung heroes of society, risking their careers and reputations to come forward and speak out against corporate corruption and other wrongdoings. Unfortunately, they can also be at risk of suffering legal repercussions for their actions, leading many to feel uncertain of the steps they must take to protect themselves.
Fortunately, there are legal options available to whistleblowers that can help protect them from any potential legal action taken against them. Through the proper channels, whistleblowers can obtain the protection they need to ensure their rights and safety without fear of reprisal. Knowing how to access these protections is key for any whistleblower looking to make a brave stand.
In this blog post, we’ll explain how to get legal protection as a whistleblower of a big company through a litigation law firm like Nix Law.
Who Is a Whistleblower?
A whistleblower can be an employee who has witnessed or experienced wrongdoing in the workplace and decides to do something about it. Whistleblower most often refers to those who expose government wrongdoings, corporate fraud, and other institutional misconduct.
Depending on the severity of their situation, whistleblowers may qualify for employment status with the federal government (such as executive branch employees) and other forms of compensation, such as financial settlements.
What Makes Someone a Whistleblower?
A person qualifies as a whistleblower if he has witnessed wrongdoing in his workplace that affects him directly and creates a considerable risk to others at his workplace. There are different ways someone could become a whistleblower:
Speaking up internally
Going to court
Reporting the issue to regulatory agencies, etc.
When someone becomes a whistleblower, employers should not retaliate against them by:
Withholding pay raises or promotions
Suspending them from work
Denying them opportunities for advancement
Transferring them involuntarily
Reducing their hours
Demoting them
Requiring too much overtime without additional compensation
Harassing them either verbally or physically
Disciplining them unjustly–even though these punishments are typically not prohibited by laws governing whistleblowing.
Legal Protection as a Whistleblower Through a Litigation Law Firm
An individual must contact a lawyer quickly after becoming aware of the wrongdoing. He must report any information immediately and retain evidence- tangible, like documents, and intangible, like emails- to support his claims. Even if an individual does not yet feel confident enough to take action on their behalf, contacting an attorney helps ensure all relevant details will be recorded in case further action becomes necessary.
After gathering documentation, it’s also a good idea to talk to the organization’s general counsel and make sure he knows about the issues raised.
It’s also worth noting that, while it’s certainly possible for an individual to represent themselves in a lawsuit involving their whistleblowing activity, doing so is generally considered risky due to a lack of experience with the intricacies of litigation processes.
In Conclusion
Whistleblowers need to find legal representation and start documenting everything. They must document anything that proves there is wrongdoing since they may help the whistleblower’s case down the line.
Any allegations or statements about what happened must be documented, so keep track of times and dates for phone calls or meetings with management about the incident(s).
They must also retain copies of all correspondence with management related to their claim(s). This includes letters sent, emails received, and text messages exchanged on company devices. These records can provide evidence and lend credibility to a whistleblower’s claim.
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