How To Protect Your Career When Blowing The Whistle On Employer Misconduct

Whistleblowing is not easy. It is a courageous act, and if you have done it, you should protect your safety. It can be scary because exposing someone else’s misconduct, especially your employer’s, can put your job at risk. You might fear getting fired.

If you have witnessed and suspected some employer misconduct but are afraid to “blow the whistle,” you can get the help of an Atlanta whistleblower attorney. The Georgia government has provided various rights to whistleblowers, and you must understand them.

To ensure that you are protected while you report the misconduct, consult with an experienced attorney. Meanwhile, read this blog to get an understanding of your rights.

What legal protections are available for whistleblowers in Atlanta, Georgia?

In Atlanta, Georgia, whistleblowers are provided with various legal protections under both state and federal laws to protect them from retaliation. One of them is the Georgia Whistleblower Act or GWA.

The Georgia Whistleblower Act (GWA) is a key state law designed specifically for public employees who report illegal or unethical activities. It prohibits public employers from retaliating against employees for disclosing information that they believe violates laws, regulations, or public policy.

In simple words, the act makes it illegal for your employer to take any harsh action against you, such as termination, demotion, and harassment, for whistleblowing.

In order to successfully prove retaliation under the GWA, you must show that your public employer took negative action against you as a direct result of your reporting a complaint. If the employer presents a reason for their action, the employee must be able to challenge it.

Here are some other protections provided to whistleblowers on the federal level:

Sarbanes-Oxley Act (protects employees who report corporate fraud).
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform.
Consumer Protection Act.

Protecting your career after the whistleblowing

Now that you understand the various rights and protections you have, it is important to know how to protect your career.

If you are anticipating retaliation, and even if you are not, make sure to maintain impeccable work performance. Do not take leaves without a genuine reason, and complete all tasks as given within the deadline. The typical ways of retaliation include demotion, termination, harassment, denial of promotions, and creating a hostile work environment.

If you think any of these is happening or about to happen, do not forget to document each and everything. This can include the way your employer speaks to you and the changes in their tone, changes in your job responsibilities, etc. While documenting the evidence, you can also gather witness statements from your trusted colleagues who might have had observations.

Steps to take if retaliation occurs

In case retaliation occurs anyway, even after taking all the precautionary measures, here are some steps you can take.

Seek the help of an attorney: One of the most important steps you should take is getting in touch with an attorney. They will help you understand your rights and explore your options.
Collect evidence: From the day you start noticing the difference in their behavior, start taking notes. Keep detailed notes of everything, including dates, times, venues, etc.
Store evidence properly: Make sure that nobody else knows the whereabouts of your evidence. The defendant may try to destroy the evidence. Make sure to store them digitally as well.
Know your whistleblower protections: Most of the injustice happens in the country because people do not realize their rights due to a lack of legal knowledge.
Use your company’s whistleblowing policy against them: If you anticipate retaliation, point out your company’s whistleblowing policy to the authorities to back up your claims.

Fight back against retaliation today!

It can be scary to go against someone in your workplace, especially if they are a senior manager or your employer. To protect your rights, hire an attorney today!

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