Whistleblower Protections
California provides strong legal protections for employees who report unlawful or unethical behavior in the workplace.
Whistleblower laws are designed to shield workers from retaliation when they disclose violations of local, state, or federal law, whether internally or to government authorities.
Who Is Protected?
A whistleblower is any employee who:
- Reports suspected violations of law to a government or law enforcement agency
- Discloses misconduct internally to a supervisor or compliance officer
- Refuses to participate in unlawful activity
- Provides testimony or information during an investigation or legal proceeding
- Files a qui tam lawsuit under the False Claims Act
Protection extends to public and private sector employees and applies even if the reported misconduct turns out to be incorrect, as long as the report was made in good faith.
Case Results
Key Laws Protecting Whistleblowers
California law provides some of the strongest workplace harassment protections in the country:
Federal whistleblower protections also apply in certain industries, including healthcare, finance, transportation, and government contracting.
What Retaliation Looks Like
Unlawful retaliation may include:
- Termination or demotion
- Pay cuts or denial of raises
- Harassment or isolation
- Negative performance reviews
- Reassignment to undesirable duties
- Threats, discipline, or blacklisting
Employers may be held liable for these actions even if the employee is an at-will worker.
Filing a Whistleblower Complaint
Employees who experience retaliation may file a complaint with:
- The California Labor Commissioner (within 1 year of the retaliatory act)
- The California Civil Rights Department (CRD), if the underlying report involved discrimination or harassment
- A court, if pursuing damages under state or federal whistleblower laws
Claims related to federal programs may also be filed with federal agencies such as OSHA, the SEC, or the DOJ, depending on the type of misconduct.
Remedies for Retaliation
If retaliation is proven, the employee may be entitled to:
Whistleblowers may also receive a portion of any financial recovery resulting from government enforcement actions in qui tam cases.