Whistleblower Rights
Whistleblowers are critically important to our society because they speak truth to power when they oppose or expose illegal or unethical activity. There are state and federal laws that protect workers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire who they “blow the whistle” on such activities. If illegal activity is happening in your workplace, you should be able to voice concern without fear of retaliation. However, things don’t always go so smoothly. Whitney Law Group can help.
State Whistleblower Protection
Several state laws protect whistleblowers and, in some cases, can provide compensation to the person who discloses the illegal activity. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, these laws include:
- Massachusetts False Claims Act
- Massachusetts Healthcare Whistleblower Act
- Massachusetts Public Employee Whistleblower Act
- New Hampshire Whistleblower Protection Act
- Common Law Protections (see Wrongful Termination practice description)
Federal Whistleblower Protection
There are numerous federal laws that protect whistleblowers, including but not limited to:
- Affordable Care Act (ACA)
- Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA)
- Clean Air Act (CAA)
- Energy Reorganization Act (ERA)
- False Claims Act (FCA)
- Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA)
- International Safe Container Act (ISCA)
- Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)
- Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
- Pipeline Safety Improvement Act (PSIA)
- Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)
- Seamen’s Protection Act (SPA)
- Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA)
- Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA)
- Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
- Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR21)
Whistleblowers who experience retaliation may have rights under one or more of these statutes.
WLG’s Attorney’s Can Help You
Blowing the whistle on illegal activity can also be a scary and intimidating undertaking. You should not have to go through it alone. There are ways to act and communicate when blowing the whistle that can be advantageous to protecting your rights and preventing retaliation. WLG can help you navigate the complexities of blowing the whistle in a manner that seeks to protect your legal rights, your privacy, and in many cases, your employment. WLG can also help you fight back if the employer retaliates against you for blowing the whistle.