“Whistleblowers” are employees who speak out against their employers for illegal activity, such as fraud or criminal actions. Texas and federal laws have protection for whistleblowers against retaliation. If your employer has retaliated against you in any way for whistleblowing, you should seek the legal assistance of a qualified Austin whistleblower lawyer as soon as possible.
Common Law Protections
Texas follows an employment “at-will” rule, in which most employees can’t file a claim against an employer for termination, even if it’s for a bad reason. Employers have the power to fire employees for poor reasons or even without explaining why. However, there are exceptions to the at-will rule.
According to Texas law, an employer can’t fire an employee for a reason that violates public policy. For example, an employer can’t terminate an employee for refusing to do something illegal. To win this kind of claim, the employee must demonstrate the only reason an employer fired him or her was because of a refusal to perform an illegal act. In these situations, the employee needs an Austin employment lawyer experienced in handling whistleblower claims.
Statutory and Other Protections
In addition to common law protections for whistleblowers, there are also statutory protections for certain activities. These laws protect employees who whistleblow about protected activities such as reporting workplace discrimination, Medicaid fraud, or child abuse.
There are numerous whistleblower statutes that protect employees in the healthcare industry, including those working in nursing homes, hospitals, hospices, assisted living facilities, and others.
Federal law also adds its own protections to whistleblowers. The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 protects whistleblowers who work for the government and report illegal activity or misconduct. If your employer retaliates against you for whistleblowing about unlawful policies or practices, federal laws protect and can even reward you for your actions by giving you a percentage of recovery monies, if there are any.
Ross • Scalise Employment Lawyers | Austin Whistleblower Lawyers
When you file a claim with an attorney from Ross • Scalise Employment Lawyers, you’re actively pursuing justice against the company that has wronged you. If your employer terminated your employment, demoted you, reduced your compensation, or took other action in retaliation against you for speaking up about illegal activity, call our office at 512-474-7677 today for your initial legal consultation.