Worker News
Weekly (3/25/19)
This week's contents:
Topic of the Week Blowing the Whistle - Practical Tips
When you see something wrong going on at work, what do you do? There are many laws that protect whistleblowers from retaliation. However many whistleblowers end up discharged before they ever made a decision to blow the whistle. Some just did their quality control jobs too well. One day they discovered that the boss did not share their high standards. Others acted from innate moral values when an opportunity arose, and did the right thing without advance thinking. They can still assert their rights if the employer takes adverse action on account of the protected, if impulsive, activity. Before you decide to blow the whistle, do your homework and be prepared for the process.
Are you required to notify your employer that you are a whistleblower?
Some whistleblower protections require that employees notify the employer before reporting certain issues to outside agencies. The federal employee protections enforced through the Department of Labor do not require following any chain of command. In these cases, you can choose to whom you will make reports. If you want to stay anonymous, you may want to consult a lawyer familiar with the agency you chose to receive your report, so that you know the answers to these questions:
- What is the agency's reputation for maintaining confidentiality?
- What are the laws that would protect you?
What documentation should I gather to protect my job?
Gather and put in chronological order all of the documents that you can find concerning your employment--every pay stub, every memo, and every handwritten note. Try, within your company's rules, to get copies of:
- Performance evaluations
- Disciplinary warnings or reprimands
- Letters of thanks or praise (from managers, customers, or co-workers)
- Internal memos
- Company bulletins
- Attendance record
- Any document stating the reason for your dismissal
- Handbooks, manuals, or other documents describing work rules, policies, and procedures
- Pension benefits and retirement plan information
- Documents related to your unemployment compensation claim
- Copies of work assignments
- Organizational charts, diagrams, floor plans, etc.
Do not take documents or access information to which you have no right and are not entitled. If you are a union member, ask your union to assist in acquiring documents that are otherwise difficult to obtain, but to which you are legally entitled.
Surviving the process
The Government Accountability Project suggest the following twelve survival strategies for those who want to blow the whistle wisely:
- Before taking any irreversible steps, talk to your family of close friends about your decision to blow the whistle.
- Be alert and discreetly attempt to learn of any other witnesses who are upset about the wrongdoing.
- Before formally breaking ranks consider whether there is any reasonable way to work within the system by going to the first level of authority. If you do decide to break ranks, think carefully about whether you want to "go public" with your concerns or remain an anonymous source. Each strategy has implications: the decision depends on the quantity and quality of your evidence, your ability to camouflage your knowledge of key facts, the risks you are willing to assume, and your willingness to endure intense public scrutiny.
- Develop a plan, such as strategically-timed release of information to government agencies, so that your employer is reacting to you, instead of vice-versa.
- Maintain good relations with administration and support staff.
- Before and after you blow the whistle, keep a careful record of events as they unfold. Try to construct a straightforward, factual log of the relevant activities and events on the job, keeping in mind that your employer will have access to your diary if there is a lawsuit.
- Identify and copy all necessary supporting records before drawing any suspicion to your concerns.
- Break the cycle of isolation: research, identify, and seek a support network of potential allies, such as elected officials, journalists, and activists. The solidarity of key constituencies can be more powerful than the bureaucracy you are challenging.
- Invest the funds to obtain a legal opinion from a competent lawyer.
- Always be on guard not to embellish your charges.
- Engage in whistleblowing initiatives on your own time and with your own resources, not your employer's.
- Don't wear your cynicism on your sleeve when working with the authorities.
Thought of the Week
"Whistleblowers like those being awarded today may be the source of ‘smoking gun’ evidence and indispensable assistance that strengthens the agency’s ability to protect investors and the capital markets."
–Jane Norberg, chief of the SEC’s whistleblower office on a whistleblowing case at JP Morgan
Weekly Comic by Jerry King
Blog of the Week
Top Five News Headlines
List of the Week
from Workplace Fairness
Top Whistleblower searches this week:
- General Information about Whistleblowing
- Whistleblower and Retaliation Claims in New York
- Federal Employee Whistleblowers
- Whistleblower and Retaliation Claims in Massachusetts
- Whistleblower and Retaliation Claims in Texas
- Whistleblower and Retaliation Claims in California
Weekly: Archive
Select a date from the list below.
- December 28, 2020
- December 14, 2020
- December 7, 2020
- November 23, 2020
- November 16, 2020
- November 9, 2020
- November 2, 2020
- October 26, 2020
- October 12, 2020
- October 5, 2020
- September 28, 2020
- September 21, 2020
- September 14, 2020
- September 7, 2020
- August 31, 2020
- August 24, 2020
- August 17, 2020
- August 10, 2020
- July 27, 2020
- July 20, 2020
- July 13, 2020
- July 6, 2020
- June 22, 2020
- June 15, 2020
- June 1, 2020
- May 25, 2020
- May 18, 2020
- May 11, 2020
- May 4, 2020
- April 27, 2020
- April 20, 2020
- April 13, 2020
- April 6, 2020
- March 30, 2020
- March 23, 2020
- March 16, 2020
- March 9, 2020
- March 2, 2020
- February 24, 2020
- February 17, 2020
- February 10, 2020
- February 3, 2020
- January 27, 2020
- January 20, 2020
- January 13, 2020
- December 23, 2019
- December 16, 2019
- December 9, 2019
- December 2, 2019
- November 25, 2019
- November 18, 2019
- November 11, 2019
- November 4, 2019
- October 28, 2019
- October 7, 2019
- September 30, 2019
- September 16, 2019
- September 2, 2019
- August 26, 2019
- July 29, 2019
- July 15, 2019
- June 17, 2019
- June 10, 2019
- May 6, 2019
- April 29, 2019
- April 22, 2019
- April 15, 2019
- April 8, 2019
- March 25, 2019
- March 11, 2019
- March 4, 2019
- February 25, 2019
- February 18, 2019
- February 11, 2019
- January 28, 2019
- January 21, 2019
- January 14, 2019
- December 17, 2018
- December 3, 2018
- November 26, 2018
- November 5, 2018
- October 29, 2018
- October 15, 2018
- October 8, 2018
- October 1, 2018
- September 24, 2018
- September 10, 2018
- September 3, 2018
- August 29, 2018
- August 6, 2018
- July 23, 2018
- June 25, 2018
- June 18, 2018
- June 11, 2018
- June 4, 2018
- May 28, 2018
- May 21, 2018
- May 7, 2018
- April 30, 2018
- April 23, 2018
- April 16, 2018
- April 9, 2018
- April 2, 2018
- March 26, 2018
- March 19, 2018
- March 12, 2018
- February 26, 2018
- February 5, 2018
- January 29, 2018
- January 22, 2018
- January 8, 2018
- January 1, 2018
- December 18, 2017
- December 11, 2017
- December 4, 2017
- November 27, 2017
- November 13, 2017
- November 6, 2017
- October 30, 2017
- October 23, 2017
- October 16, 2017
- October 9, 2017
- October 2, 2017
- September 25, 2017
- September 18, 2017
- September 11, 2017
- September 4, 2017
- August 28, 2017
- August 21, 2017
- August 14, 2017
- August 7, 2017
- July 31, 2017
- July 24, 2017
- July 17, 2017
- July 3, 2017
- June 26, 2017
- June 12, 2017
- June 5, 2017
- May 29, 2017
- May 22, 2017
- May 15, 2017
- May 8, 2017
- May 1, 2017
- April 24, 2017
- April 19, 2017
- April 10, 2017
- April 3, 2017
- March 20, 2017
- March 13, 2017
- March 6, 2017
- February 27, 2017
- February 20, 2017
- February 13, 2017
- February 6, 2017
- January 30, 2017
- January 23, 2017
- January 16, 2017
- January 9, 2017
- January 2, 2017
- December 19, 2016
- December 12, 2016
- December 5, 2016
- November 21, 2016
- November 14, 2016
- November 7, 2016
- October 31, 2016
- October 24, 2016
- October 17, 2016
- October 10, 2016
- October 3, 2016
- September 26, 2016
- September 19, 2016
- September 12, 2016
- September 5, 2016
- August 29, 2016
- August 22, 2016
- August 15, 2016
- August 8, 2016
- August 1, 2016
- July 25, 2016
- July 18, 2016
- July 11, 2016
- July 4, 2016
- June 27, 2016
- June 20, 2016
- June 13, 2016
- June 6, 2016
- May 30, 2016
- May 23, 2016
- May 16, 2016
- May 9, 2016
- May 2, 2016
- April 25, 2016
- April 18, 2016
- April 11, 2016
- April 4, 2016
- March 28, 2016
- March 21, 2016
- March 14, 2016
- March 7, 2016
- February 29, 2016
- February 22, 2016
- February 15, 2016
- February 8, 2016
- February 1, 2016
- January 25, 2016
- January 18, 2016
- January 11, 2016
- January 4, 2016
- December 21, 2015
- December 14, 2015
- December 7, 2015
- November 30, 2015
- November 23, 2015
- November 16, 2015
- November 9, 2015
- November 2, 2015
- October 26, 2015
- October 19, 2015
- October 12, 2015
- October 5, 2015
- September 28, 2015
- September 21, 2015
- September 14, 2015
- September 7, 2015
- August 31, 2015
- August 24, 2015
- August 17, 2015
- August 10, 2015
- August 3, 2015
- July 27, 2015
- July 20, 2015
- July 13, 2015
- July 6, 2015
- June 29, 2015
- June 22, 2015
- June 15, 2015
- June 8, 2015
- June 1, 2015
- May 25, 2015
- May 18, 2015
- May 11, 2015
- May 4, 2015
- April 27, 2015
- April 20, 2015
- April 13, 2015
- April 6, 2015
- March 30, 2015
- March 23, 2015
- March 16, 2015
- March 9, 2015
- March 2, 2015
- February 23, 2015
- February 16, 2015
- February 9, 2015
- February 2, 2015
- January 26, 2015
- January 19, 2015
- January 12, 2015
- January 5, 2015
- December 29, 2014
- December 15, 2014
- December 8, 2014
- December 1, 2014
- November 7, 2014
- October 15, 2014
- October 8, 2014
- October 1, 2014
- September 24, 2014
- September 17, 2014
- September 11, 2014
- September 3, 2014
- August 19, 2014
- July 14, 2014
- June 24, 2014
- June 9, 2014
- May 26, 2014
- May 19, 2014
- May 5, 2014
- April 27, 2014
- April 14, 2014
- April 8, 2014
- April 2, 2014
- March 24, 2014
- March 18, 2014
- March 10, 2014
- March 3, 2014
- February 24, 2014
- February 17, 2014
- February 3, 2014
- January 27, 2014
- January 20, 2014
- December 30, 2013
- December 11, 2013
- December 4, 2013
- November 20, 2013
- November 12, 2013
- October 30, 2013
- October 21, 2013
- October 8, 2013
- October 1, 2013
- September 23, 2013
- September 20, 2013
- September 9, 2013
- September 4, 2013
- August 27, 2013
- August 19, 2013
- August 12, 2013
- August 5, 2013
- July 30, 2013
- July 22, 2013
- July 8, 2013
- July 1, 2013
- June 24, 2013
- June 17, 2013
- June 10, 2013
- June 3, 2013
- May 20, 2013
- May 13, 2013
- May 6, 2013
- April 29, 2013
- April 23, 2013
- April 16, 2013
- April 15, 2013
- April 8, 2013
- April 1, 2013
- March 26, 2013
- March 18, 2013
- March 12, 2013
- March 5, 2013
- February 25, 2013
- February 19, 2013
- February 4, 2013
- January 28, 2013
- January 22, 2013
- January 14, 2013
- January 7, 2013
- January 2, 2013
- December 24, 2012
- December 17, 2012
- December 10, 2012
- December 3, 2012
- November 26, 2012
- November 19, 2012
- October 29, 2012
- October 22, 2012
- October 15, 2012
- October 8, 2012
- October 1, 2012
- September 24, 2012
- September 17, 2012
- September 10, 2012
- September 4, 2012
- August 27, 2012
- August 20, 2012
- August 14, 2012
- August 6, 2012
- July 30, 2012
- July 23, 2012
- July 9, 2012
- June 19, 2012
- June 11, 2012
- June 4, 2012
- May 29, 2012
- May 21, 2012
- May 8, 2012
- April 30, 2012
- April 23, 2012
- April 16, 2012
- April 2, 2012
- March 27, 2012
- March 19, 2012
- March 13, 2012
- March 6, 2012
- February 14, 2012
- February 6, 2012
- January 30, 2012
- January 17, 2012
- January 9, 2012
- January 3, 2012
- December 27, 2011
- December 12, 2011
- November 27, 2011
- November 20, 2011
- November 13, 2011
- November 7, 2011
- October 24, 2011
- October 17, 2011
- October 10, 2011
- October 3, 2011
- September 26, 2011
- September 12, 2011
- September 5, 2011
- August 29, 2011
- August 1, 2011
- July 11, 2011
- July 4, 2011
- June 27, 2011
- June 20, 2011
- May 23, 2011
- May 9, 2011
- April 26, 2011
- April 18, 2011
- April 14, 2011
- April 5, 2011
- March 28, 2011
- March 21, 2011
- March 7, 2011
- February 28, 2011
- February 21, 2011
- February 15, 2011
- February 7, 2011
- January 24, 2011
- January 3, 2011
- December 20, 2010
- December 13, 2010
- December 6, 2010
- November 21, 2010
- November 14, 2010
- November 8, 2010
- November 1, 2010
- October 18, 2010
- October 4, 2010
- September 27, 2010
- September 20, 2010
- September 6, 2010
- August 30, 2010
- August 16, 2010
- August 9, 2010
- August 2, 2010
- July 26, 2010
- July 19, 2010
- July 12, 2010
- June 28, 2010
- June 21, 2010
- June 14, 2010
- June 7, 2010
- May 31, 2010
- May 24, 2010
- May 17, 2010
- May 10, 2010
- May 3, 2010
- April 26, 2010
- April 19, 2010
- April 12, 2010
- April 5, 2010
- March 29, 2010
- March 22, 2010
- March 15, 2010
- March 8, 2010
- March 1, 2010
- February 22, 2010
- February 14, 2010
- February 8, 2010
- February 1, 2010
- January 25, 2010
- January 18, 2010
- January 11, 2010
- January 4, 2010
- December 28, 2009
- December 21, 2009
- December 14, 2009
- December 7, 2009
- November 30, 2009
- November 22, 2009
- November 15, 2009
- November 8, 2009
- November 1, 2009
- October 26, 2009
- October 12, 2009
- October 5, 2009
- September 28, 2009
- September 21, 2009
- September 14, 2009
- September 6, 2009
- August 31, 2009
- August 17, 2009
- August 10, 2009
- August 3, 2009
- July 27, 2009
- July 20, 2009
- July 13, 2009
- July 6, 2009
- June 29, 2009
- June 22, 2009
- June 15, 2009
- June 8, 2009
- June 1, 2009
- May 25, 2009
- May 18, 2009
- May 8, 2009
- April 27, 2009
- April 20, 2009
- April 13, 2009
- April 6, 2009
- March 30, 2009
- March 23, 2009
- March 16, 2009
- March 8, 2009
- March 2, 2009
Areas of Practice
Suite 1850,
Monday | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Tuesday | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Wednesday | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Thursday | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Friday | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Saturday | 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM |
Sunday | Closed |