Whistleblowing is a common cause of workplace incidents and firings in Texas. But it is also an effective tool to achieve justice and social betterment. Knowing more about the laws and rules surrounding whistleblowing can help any afflicted whistleblowers seek help and preserve their careers.
What is whistleblowing?
Whistleblowing calls out illegal, unethical, or otherwise untoward behavior within an organization. It involves speaking out and drawing attention to problems from within. Effective whistleblowers often take documents and make copies and records to help outside parties verify their claims. An incredibly common response to whistleblowing is retaliation, either in the form of unfair treatment or outright termination. But whistleblowing is acknowledged to often be a social good. Many companies and organizations under investigation have a culture of silence and can often destroy incriminating documents before they can be protected by law enforcement. They often act quickly and in ways that help the company deny any culpability for wrongful termination and whistleblower claims.
What to do
Whistleblowing is a broad term that encompasses a wide variety of behaviors in the public imagination. But in a legal sense, it can be limited and focused on a handful of situations. The person who is fired must make sure that they meet one of those conditions before they take legal action.
If they do, it is possible to file a complaint with the state and then take legal action if that process is not satisfactory. In many instances, whistleblowers who are fired or otherwise retaliated against can secure back pay and punitive damages. They may also be able to greatly improve the operations at their organization by blowing the whistle.