Cherry Hill Whistleblower Rights Lawyer

Oftentimes, these acts get reported to an entity, like the government, that is in a position to do something to address that wrongdoing.

When you feel you need to report fraud or abuse at your job, you might fear retaliation, such as being wrongfully terminated. That is when you would benefit from speaking with an experienced Cherry Hill whistleblower rights lawyer to discuss your concerns.

At Folkman Law, we can provide the information you need to file a whistleblower complaint without putting your job at risk. Do you have something to report? If so, get in touch with an attorney in our office right away.

Concerns Whistleblowers Report

There are many aspects of whistleblower protections you need to understand to effectively address your concerns. Consider the following:

New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA)

The New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) protects employees who report any type of illegal and fraudulent activities that their employer is engaged in. One of the most important protections under CEPA provisions is preventing an employer from retaliation against the employer because of any of the following scenarios:

• If the employee informs their supervisor or releases information to the public about an illegal activity, policy, or practice.
• If the employee provides information or testifies during an investigation, hearing, or inquiry involving the company they work for.
• If the employee makes a formal report that the employer deceived or misrepresented information to shareholders, clients, investors, or, with medical professionals, patients.
• If the employee alleges illegal activity is being conducted by the employer.

There are some workplace situations, such as the failure to pay overtime or the New Jersey minimum wage, that you would need to first report to your supervisor to rectify. If there is no response or retaliation, you would be able to seek protection under CEPA.

Refusing Dangerous or Illegal Job Orders

Every employee takes orders from their supervisor. Unless it is your own business, you will always follow the instructions from your employer. If those orders would put you in a dangerous situation or involve any type of illegal activity, you could invoke CEPA protections. The excuse of “That is how it has always been done” is not valid.

The issue of safety pertains to you, your coworkers, and the public at large. In addition to the CEPA protections, the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) also has the authority to prevent retaliation against an employee who files a complaint violation about an unsafe work environment. Those violations could pertain to one of the following acts:

• The Solid Waste Disposal Act
• The Safe Drinking Water Act
• The Clean Air Act
• The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act was established in 1970 and strictly prohibits employers from punishing whistleblowers. The only stipulation is that the employee must file a complaint with OSHA within 30 days of being fired, demoted, or punished in some other way on the job. A Cherry Hill whistleblower rights lawyer who understands all the OSHA provisions can help with the claim filing process.

Proving Retaliation in the Workplace

Your first instinct with an infraction would be to alert your supervisor. They should take measures to correct the situation. However, they could also do the opposite and engage in one of the following forms of whistleblower retaliation:

• Termination
• Demotion
• Job transfers
• Intimidation
• Abuse
• Harassment

In order to prevail, you need to work with a Cherry Hill whistleblower rights attorney to establish your claim. You can prove that with relevant documentation, such as your evaluation reports. You could establish causation if you receive high marks on your last evaluation and then are demoted after filing a complaint.