When fraud, discrimination, harassment and other illegal conduct appears in the workplace, there comes a time when good people have no choice but to speak up. Unfortunately, the reaction of many unscrupulous employers is to retaliate against whistle blowers and truth tellers, making them pay professionally for doing the right thing.
Not only is retaliation unethical, it is illegal. At Blanchard & Walker, we protect Michigan employees who have faced retaliation due to reporting wrongdoing or exercising their right sat work.
State and Federal Laws Protect Workers From Retaliation
The law protects employees from retaliation, but only when they follow certain reporting procedures. The Michigan Whistleblower Protection Act is one such law, but with a very short 90 day statute of limitations. The Department of Labor, OSHA Complaint filing procedures protect workers via over 20 different federal statutes, including Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblowers and financial services compliance, Nuclear Regulatory Commission compliance, and rules under the Surface Transportation Act.
Claims often have to be filed with MIOSHA within 30 days of an adverse action. Some federal employees may face deadlines as short as 30 days. This means whistleblowers and other retaliation victims must act quickly to assert their rights against retaliation.
Early Legal Advice is the Best Protection
We can provide you with skilled representation aimed at protecting you from employer retaliation and holding employers accountable for their illegal actions. When you learn of illegal conduct at work, some of the most difficult choices you make is when to report and to whom. Getting sound legal advice from the start is the best protection against retaliation. Whether you are a whistleblower, sexual harassment reporter, or suffered retaliation for taking FMLA leave, our legal team is ready to listen and strategize the best solution to protect against retaliation or to fight for legal remedies when it occurs.
If you need the advice and counsel of a knowledgeable employment law attorney who can best protect your rights and help you pursue your legal interests. Contact us to request a meeting with one of our attorneys.
