People typically feel that they should be rewarded for doing the right thing. In many instances, however, the opposite happens: They are punished for doing what they feel is morally right, simply because the party harmed by their actions wants to retaliate against them in Wisconsin. Nevertheless, a whistleblower is entitled to protections and has the right to pursue a claim against an employer that has chosen to terminate him or her.
The Supreme Court recently emphasized that workers at publicly traded companies certainly may enjoy whistleblower protections offered by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or SOX. However, workers for private companies that contract with them also can benefit from these protections. SOX was passed in 2002 after many scandals occurred in the corporate arena, including the well-known Enron accounting scandal.
SOX’s intent is to ensure that companies properly disclose their financial information. The law also makes sure that whistleblower employees who report companies’ misconduct are protected from employment discrimination, including termination or being denied a promotion. For this reason, organizations might benefit from having policies in place addressing worker whistleblower claims.
Both publicly traded businesses and the private contractors who offer services to them are in no way allowed to mistreat an employee who has opted to become a whistleblower. If employees feel that they are being discriminated against for speaking up about misconduct within the organizations for which they work, it certainly is within their rights to sue their employers. They may succeed if they understand which facts must be proved in their cases in Wisconsin.
Source: mintpressnews.com, Supreme Court To Mutual Fund Managers: No More Enrons, Thank You, Carmen Russell-Sluchansky, March 10, 2014
