When an employee witnesses an illegal act in the workplace, he or she should do the right thing and report it. Unfortunately, employees may fear retaliation, and thus illegal or inappropriate actions can go unreported. However, many California workers may be unaware that they are protected by state Whistleblower Protection laws. Whistleblowing employees who face retaliatory acts can file a complaint and may be able to pursue legal action.
A former employee of the city of Adelanto recently filed a lawsuit over claims that he was retaliated against and fired for blowing the whistle on city officials. The man worked as an IT supervisor for the city. According to the lawsuit, an FBI investigation was conducted against several city officials. The plaintiff said he cooperated with the investigation and sent the FBI electronic documents that were requested.
The lawsuit claims that city officials became angry and confronted the plaintiff after learning that documents had been sent to the FBI. The man claims he was harassed and humiliated for basically doing his job. Although the man had worked for the city of Adelanto since 2001 and had positive performance reviews, he was suddenly terminated, the lawsuit said. Allegedly, the city officials devised a plan to fire the man and falsely accused him of abusing prescription medication, citing job performance issues.
Losing a job can be a difficult thing to experience no matter the reason. However, being fired in retaliation can be absolutely devastating. Those in California who have experienced retaliation for blowing the whistle on unethical activity in the workplace could benefit by seeking the services of an experienced employment law attorney. A successfully litigated claim lawsuit could result compensation to replace lost wages and other monetary losses.