State & Federal Whistleblower Laws

Los Angeles Whistleblower Protection Lawyers

Under California's whistleblower protection statute (and related case law), employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who report illegal activity to law enforcement authorities. Employers are also prohibited from punishing employees who refuse to participate in unlawful activities in the workplace. Learn more about your rights as an employee and other claims you may have.

Many federal laws include similar provisions to protect whistleblowers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) administers the whistleblower provisions of various statutes which protect workers who report violations of laws governing commercial vehicles, atomic energy, air pollution, water quality, waste disposal and toxic substances, aviation, securities and corporate accounting, and several other fields.

Whistleblower claims can take many forms. One of the most famous cases involved Jeffrey Wigand, a tobacco industry researcher who reported that tobacco companies were intentionally manipulating the nicotine content of cigarettes. Wigand was fired and reportedly received death threats for having reported the manipulation to government authorities. His story was the basis for the popular film ‘The Insider’ starring Russell Crowe.

A wide variety of everyday situations can give rise to whistleblower claims. Here are a few examples from real cases that resulted in valid whistleblower claims:

A truck driver was terminated because he refused to deliver spoiled milk.

A sales representative was fired for refusing to participate in an illegal gasoline price-fixing scheme.

A manager was terminated for refusing to engage in racial discrimination.

A city building department employee was terminated for refusing to allow certain city officials to conduct residential construction without proper permits.

An insurance claims handler was fired for refusing to accept cases that would result in a larger caseload than the Department of Insurance guidelines allowed.

This office has handled a number of whistleblower claims. In one instance, we represented a man who was a boiler expert for an international company. When he reported defects in the boiler systems that posed a safety hazard to workers worldwide, he was terminated. After coming to our office, we arranged for a pre-litigation mediation of the wrongful termination, and the individual was compensated fully and fairly for his losses. He has since been able to pursue a career as an expert consultant in the industry.

If you have been suspended, demoted, or terminated for reporting illegal activity at work, or for refusing to break the law, contact us as soon as possible for an evaluation of your case.

Contact the Rubin Law Corporation of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills today by calling us at 310.385.0777 or you can schedule a consultation with an an attorney via email.