Whistleblowers provide a crucial service to the overall safety of their company and the consumers who rely on their company. Thus, the government itself will provide protections to whistleblowers, who may face retaliation for the work they did.
In order to gain those protections, however, a worker must first understand the signs of retaliation. After all, they sometimes appear subtle and hard to pinpoint.
Application of pressure over time
The U.S. Department of Labor discusses whistleblower retaliation within the country. Generally speaking, it can sometimes feel hard to pinpoint whistleblower retaliation due to how subtle an employer’s movements may look.
First, look to see if an employer made moves to retaliate in terms of economic harm. Did they overlook a worker for a promotion or a raise shortly after whistleblowing? Did they remove important responsibilities or involuntarily transfer them?
Work environments may also change after whistleblowing due to retaliation. Workers may notice the gradual application of pressure, which employers may apply in the hopes that the worker will eventually get tired of mistreatment and quit on their own. Employers can also attempt to isolate victims and discourage other workers from engaging with them.
Attempts at firing
Of course, an employer may even attempt to fire someone. Due to at-will employment laws, employers can fire anyone for anything that is not a protected action under the law. They may try to make their decision seem like it has nothing to do with whistleblowing, but in many cases, this may not be the truth.
Workers who suffer due to their whistleblowing activities can and should consider pursuing compensation for their suffering.
