Whistleblower may be denied training opportunities in Wisconsin

On Behalf of | Mar 29, 2014 | Whistle-blower Claims

Doing good technically should result in a reward, according to the law of karma. However, in the Wisconsin workplace, doing the right thing by confessing an employer’s illegal behavior to the appropriate authorities might actually result in a punishment, such as a termination. A whistleblower in this case may become angry and be discouraged from ever being honest about bad company practices again, but whistleblower protections exist to ensure that these individuals indeed are rewarded rather than face unjust discipline for their actions.

A recent report showed that about 40 percent of workers who claim that whistleblower retaliation in the federal workforce occurs in the form of lost training opportunities. In other words, companies deny them the chance to get the training they need to advance their career. In addition, only 50 percent of employees said they were happy with the training opportunities afforded them.

Specifically, about 600 complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2011 were with regard to discrimination revolving around training opportunities. That is a jump from 477 in 2008. With training opportunities scarcer today than they have been in the past, those who are being retaliated against on the job have the most to lose.

Even though employers are not allowed to discriminate against workers or retaliate against a whistleblower, many across the country still do. Companies in Wisconsin are no different. In this situation, the employee who has been wronged has the right to file a claim against the employer, seeking financial damages. A successfully navigated lawsuit may result in monetary relief and/or other relief deemed appropriate under all of the relevant facts and circumstances.

Source: fiercegovernment.com, Discrimination could be to blame for declining satisfaction in fed training, Ryan McDermott, March 18, 2014

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