Employees who feel a moral duty to blow the whistle on illegal business practices have historically faced harsh retaliation from their employers. It is however, against the law to retaliate against an employee for blowing the whistle. Employees who are being retaliated against due to exposing an organization’s misconduct should contact an experienced employment law attorney as soon as possible. Some unscrupulous employers have resorted to terrorizing employees and even firing them in retaliation. Employees need to know that they still have legal rights after blowing the whistle.

What is Whistle Blowing?

“Blowing the whistle” often happens when an employee exposes some kind of illegal misconduct going on in an organization. As many whistle blowers soon find out, doing the right thing isn’t always the easiest path to travel. Because information about misconduct, fraud or illegal practices can be incredibly damaging to a company’s bottom line, officials within that organization may try to intimidate, punish or retaliate against an employee who steps forward to blow the whistle. Luckily, there are legal protections in place for employees who expose illegal practices. In order to make sure an employee’s legal rights are being protected, it’s important to speak with a skilled employment law attorney who has whistle-blower case experience.

Protecting Whistle Blower Rights

If whistle blowers’ rights aren’t protected, employees won’t feel comfortable coming forward with allegations of an organization’s misconduct. It’s important to understand that there are many different factors to be considered in any whistle-blower case, so a skilled employment law attorney should be consulted immediately.

Illegal Retaliatory Actions

• Firings
• Demotions
• Wage reductions
• Benefits reductions
• Bad-faith decisions regarding transfers, raises or promotions
• Denials of raises or promotions
• Suspensions

Recovering Damages

Employees who have faced whistle-blower retaliation may be entitled to compensation for damages. Damages can include back wages, future earnings and damages related to emotional pain and suffering. You may also be entitled to compensation to cover court fees and legal costs. In some cases, employees may be able to recover an amount equal to double their economic damages. If you or a loved one is facing retaliation from an employer after blowing the whistle, contact the experienced employment law team at Weldon & Rothman, PL.

Legal Disclaimer: The above guidelines are educational in nature and do not create an attorney/client relationship. It is highly recommended that all Florida citizens with employment law issues contact an experienced local Florida employment law attorney to assist them with specific facts and circumstances regarding their labor and employment law matter. If you have been the victim of illegal activities at your workplace, then feel free to contact Attorney Rothman at Weldon & Rothman, PL toll free at (877) 730-5180 or via e-mail at info@weldonrothman.com

Bradley P. Rothman is an experienced Florida employment law attorney who has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star.  He is a principal member of Weldon & Rothman, PL – a Southwest Florida law firm with offices in Naples, Fort Myers, and Sarasota.