“We recently had the pleasure of representing a wonderful young woman who was terminated from her employment after raising several serious complaints related to workplace safety to her employer. As is often the case, the complaints related to certain managers failing to perform job duties according to applicable rules, regulations, and laws.
New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act, N.J. Stat. § 34:19-1 (2007) (CEPA), protects employees like my recent client from retaliation in response to blowing the whistle on workplace happenings, which the employee reasonably believes are contrary to applicable rules, regulations, and laws, or which violate clear mandates of public policy. When retaliation by an employee can be causally connected to such whistleblowing activities, the employee is entitled to a variety of remedies.
Common cases include complaints about safety in the workplace, wasteful spending, managerial misconduct violating the law or clear public policy, and employer requirements that interfere with a licensed Professional’s ethical obligations to those they serve or their profession. Other common cases may arise from:
- Disclosing illegal activities performed by the company or employees.
- Disclosing improper quality of patient care by healthcare professionals.
- Providing information about illegal activities or testimony about illegal activities.
- Providing information about deception or misrepresentation to shareholders, patients, clients, investors, employees, former employees, or retirees.
- Providing information about fraudulent or criminal activity.
- Refusing to participate in fraudulent, criminal, or illegal conduct.
For our recent client, we obtained a six-figure recovery. Also, we ensured that the employer now understands the consequences of retaliating against conscientious employees and for failing to provide adequate safety precautions to its employees and those it serves.
If you believe you or someone you know has been the victim of retaliation by their employer due to complaints about the workplace, contact our firm for a free consultation.”