If you have recently made a complaint at work or you have reported your company for illegal or unsafe activities, you may be a whistleblower. As such, you have a higher risk of negative actions being taken against you by your employer or even your co-workers because you have likely acted against their wishes.
This is why there are laws in place to legally protect whistleblowers across the United States. If you have been affected by whistleblower retaliation in California, it is important that you take action to protect yourself and hold your employer accountable for their illegal treatment of you.
What are California’s whistleblower laws?
California laws are particularly protective of whistleblowers because they cover both public and private employees. In 2014, the California Whistleblower Protection Act was amended to include additional laws. These laws expanded the scope of protection to include protections for workers that made complaints internally in the company.
What types of behavior are prohibited?
Any type of negative action taken against the whistleblower employee as a result of them making a complaint is considered to be a form of retaliation. This could include denying the employee work, reducing their pay or demoting them. Additionally, the retaliation could be more subtle. For example, the whistleblower may feel socially excluded or ignored as a result of their making a complaint.
It is important to be proactive when taking action after an incident of employee retaliation. You should take advantage of the laws that are in place to protect you. In doing so, you will have the best chance of protecting your career.