Whistleblower Protection in Mullica Hill, NJ
Whistleblowers are heroes. It is too easy and too tempting to look the other way when an employer dumps illegal toxic waste or allows sexual harassment in the workplace to persist. Standing up can be hard, but it is the right thing to do. Allowing employers to intimidate whistleblowers undermines the rights of all employees. The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. works aggressively to protect individuals from intimidation and retaliation. The law is in place to protect you. In New Jersey, whistleblowers receive protection under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA). Additionally, most federal employment laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) contain protections for employees who report illegal conduct. If you are in a position to right a wrong and need to protect yourself against adverse actions by an employer, contact The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C.
Protection for conscientious employees
The law prohibits employers from punishing whistleblowers through harassment and retaliation. Some examples include the following:
- Firing or demoting
- Laying off
- Denying benefits, overtime pay, or a well-earned promotion
- Threatening or harassing the whistleblower
- Cutting pay or work hours
- Reassigning the whistleblower to a less lucrative position
Federal laws that protect whistleblowers
Federal laws are in place to protect a whistleblower and ensure that future workers will come forward with information about illegal activities. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSH Act) and the administration that enforces the law (OSHA) were employed in 1970 to govern claims of illegal activities that impact the workforce of the United States. Accordingly, the OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program protects the rights of the whistleblowers and offers them the ability to fight against employers and businesses who retaliate. An employer of a business or management of a business cannot engage in retaliatory acts in response to whistleblower activities, including demotion, termination, refusal of job benefits, blacklisting, intimidation, threats, harassment, or punishments. They could face litigation if any workers engage in illegal acts and an employer knew or should have known about it.
New Jersey and the Conscientious Employee Protection Act
New Jersey further protects the rights of employees who engage in whistleblower activities through the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA). Similar to the OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program, CEPA protects whistleblowers from retaliatory acts, including termination, demotion, and any other act that negatively affect the employment of a person who exercised his or her civil rights. Aside from the initial issues a business may face because of the information offered to New Jersey about illegal activities, an employee could take civil action and further complicate the matter with evidence of retaliation or harassment.
Contact our whistleblower protection law firm
The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. recognizes the courage it takes to call out one’s employer who allows illegal activities to persist. Standing up for your fellow workers or the public in the face of uncertainty regarding one’s employment is the epitome of strength. If you are a whistleblower and need an effective law firm to protect your rights, contact The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. for a consultation.