Miami Whistleblower Protection Lawyer

Both federal and state laws protect employees who are whistleblowers. In Florida, there is a public employer and private employer whistleblower statute that provides significant protections for employees who, for example, object to or refuse to participate in, some illegal activity of the employer. There are, however, many defenses that an employer can assert to whistleblower claims.

Florida’s private whistleblower act, found at Fla. Stat. §§ 448.101 – 448.105, provides that an employer may not take any retaliatory action against an employee because the employee has:

• Disclosed, or threatened to disclose, to any appropriate governmental agency, under oath, in writing, an activity, policy, or practice of the employer that is in violation of a law, rule, or regulation. However, the employee must first bring the activity, policy, or practice to the attention of the employer, in writing, in order to give the employer a reasonable opportunity to correct the activity, policy, or practice.
• Provided information to, or testified before, any appropriate governmental agency, person, or entity conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry into an alleged violation of a law, rule, or regulation by the employer.
• Objected to, or refused to participate in, any activity, policy, or practice of the employer which is in violation of a law, rule, or regulation.