Alabama Whistleblower Protection Lawyers

Whistleblowers accept significant personal risk in order to call out wrongdoing within a public or private organization. The behavior they bring to light may be illegal, unsafe, or unethical. In many cases, people with firsthand experience in an organization are the only ones who can recognize and call out this type of behavior.

Whistleblowers are crucial to holding organizations accountable and ensuring that everything is above board. Unfortunately, the brave choice to become a whistleblower can lead to serious personal consequences. Whistleblowers are frequently terminated, threatened with legal action, demoted, or forced out via hostility.

Due to the important role whistleblowers fill and the frequency with which their employers retaliate, there are numerous laws in place to protect them. Asserting these rights is a challenge—that’s where we come in. Our team of whistleblower protection attorneys strives to protect the rights of public and private sector employees who expose wrongdoing in their organization. Call Coumanis & York at 251-336-3121 to set up a consultation with our team if you’ve been targeted by your organization.

An Overview of Whistleblowers and the Risks They Face

Whistleblowers are generally employees of companies or government agencies. They are on the frontline of their place of employment, giving them insight into day-to-day practices and protocols. They may be responsible for exposing multiple types of illegal or unethical behavior, including corporate fraud, safety violations, discrimination, government corruption, and billing fraud.

There are many risks an individual takes when they make the courageous decision to come forward. If their employer finds out that they were the one who reported the company, they may retaliate by firing them, subjecting them to harassment, cutting their hours drastically, or suing them.

Even if the name of the whistleblower is not revealed, employers are often able to figure out who is responsible. If the report includes information only a few people could have known, the individual may be traceable. They may also be found out if the employer can get records showing who accessed the relevant files.

How to Bring Wrongdoing to Light

When an individual decides to report illegal or unethical behavior, they must follow the proper steps. Without the right information or evidence, they risk being fired before they can even report their place of employment.

• Gather evidence: A whistleblower should have concrete evidence corroborating their claims. The more evidence they have, the stronger their report is and the more likely it is to be acted on.

• Present evidence: This step varies widely between agencies and companies. In some cases, an individual may present the information to human resources, management, or executives. When higher-level individuals are involved, though, this is often not the best route. In these situations, they may go to the relevant law enforcement agency or regulatory agency.

• Government investigation: The relevant agency will conduct its own investigation based on the evidence provided. The whistleblower generally cooperates with the agency in question to assist with the investigation.

• Fines and penalties: Upon completing its investigation, the investigating agency may publish its findings and take action against the company or agency.  This may involve imposing fines or other penalties.

When Employers Retaliate—and Your Options

Employer retaliation is shockingly common, despite the fact that retaliating against a whistleblower often creates even worse optics for the company being investigated. If your company retaliates against you after you report wrongdoing, you have options.

If the retaliation involves just one or two individuals acting of their own volition, you may be able to go over their heads to human resources or the compliance department. These departments know the legal risks they face when retaliation occurs, and they may be able to get the rogue managers under control.

It’s more complicated when the reported wrongdoing involves cover-ups at every level. When this occurs, you can’t report the retaliation—it’s likely that everyone is in on it. At that point, it’s important to talk to a whistleblower protection attorney and look into filing a complaint with the relevant agency.

Alabama Laws That Protect Whistleblowers

Whistleblower retaliation is such a widespread problem that there are both state and federal laws put in place to protect whistleblowers. One such law is the State Employment Protection Act of Alabama, which prevents supervisors from demoting or otherwise taking action against a state employee who has reported an infringement of a regulation or law. The supervisor cannot take any action that would affect the employee’s employment terms or compensation.

Protections for whistleblowers are listed under Alabama Code Title 25-8-57. Protections extend to employees, former employees, and job applicants, as well as anyone who makes a complaint. Whistleblowers are protected from blacklisting, harassment, threats, write-ups, and disciplinary action. The law specifically protects those who testify in court about an illegal act, testify during a regulatory hearing, or help with an investigation.

Federal laws protecting whistleblowers support employees who report safety violations, healthcare fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, tax fraud, and any other illegal behavior. The OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program is responsible for enforcing over 20 relevant statutes.

How We Can Help

The whistleblower protection lawyers at Coumanis & York know how far unethical employers will go to cover up their fraud, safety violations, or other misdeeds. If you have yet to make your report, we will help you protect your anonymity and take proper steps to bring your claims to light. At every step of the way, our goal is to protect your privacy and safeguard you against retaliation.

If you have already been the target of retaliation, we’re here to hold your employer accountable. We will dig deep into the details of your case, document the retaliation you’ve faced, and move swiftly to alert the appropriate agencies. We’ll inform you of your legal options and help you choose your path moving forward.

Explore Your Legal Options and Protections with Coumanis & York

If you have lost your job or otherwise been targeted because of a whistleblower complaint, we are here to help. Fight for your job and your rights with Coumanis & York—call us at 251-336-3121 or contact us online to get started.