If you assert your rights or report wrongdoing in the workplace, you may be protected. Our attorneys can help you learn more and take action.
While there is certainly some overlap between the concepts of whistleblowing and retaliation, there are differences as well. Whistleblowing is more commonly used to describe situations where an employee complains about conduct of an employer that does not involve the employee’s own legally protected workplace rights.
Employees are not always protected against actions their employers take in response to whistleblowing. Federal courts in recent years have taken a more narrow view of when an employee’s whistleblowing is protected. In today’s environment, the safest course for an employee who is concerned about an employer’s practices is to consult a lawyer before “blowing the whistle.”
COVID-19 Whistleblowing
The Colorado Department of Labor protects any worker who raises a reasonable concern about workplace violations of government health or safety rules, or about an otherwise significant workplace threat to health or safety, related to a public health emergency. It also protects any individuals who participate in any investigation regarding workplace safety violations or make a complaint.
For more information, the Colorado Department of Labor has created an information sheet that is available here. Your employer must have a poster displayed informing you of these rights.