Assignment 1: Discussion—Whistleblower Protections

A whistleblower is someone who reports illegal activities within an organization. Reporting wrongdoing can put employees at risk of creating a negative relationship with their employers, resulting in a hostile work environment or even termination.

However, whistleblowers are protected from retaliation by law. For federal employees, the Whistleblower Protection Act provides provisions to protect those reporting wrongdoing. Many other laws include whistleblower provisions, including laws governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Although a federal law relating to whistleblowing is still lacking in the private industry, most states have also passed protections for whistleblowers to protect those reporting illegal activities.

In this assignment, you will study and report an example of a whistleblower case, discuss the facts surrounding the case, and analyze the outcome of the case on the basis of the law.