Many whistleblowers face retaliatory actions once their complaint is filed and their identity discovered. With the potential of having a monumental effect on a company, employees generally fall out of favor with their superiors. That often translates into a termination of their employment. However, a company cannot simply fire an employee for exposing some kind of truth. When there is inadequate reason for dismissal, discrimination becomes a major part of the whistleblower’s case.
Such discrimination is evident when there is an insufficient investigation into charges filed against an employee. A company will often charge an employee with some sort of infraction and then terminate their employment without coming up with adequate proof. The timing of the termination is also very telling. If an employee is discharged shortly after blowing the whistle, there is plenty of evidence to prove that discharge was discriminatory.
Employees are all rated on their performance. Discrimination is easy to pinpoint when ratings suddenly drop. It is uncharacteristic for an otherwise productive employee to suddenly experience a significant dip in performance rating. Nonetheless, companies often attempt to blame dismissals on poor work performance. Instances such as those are also made to serve as an example to other employees. Specifically, it sends the message that if they attempt to become a whistleblower, they too will lose their job.
Differential treatment often becomes quite apparent after an employee blows the whistle on a company. It is one of the oldest and most blatant forms of discrimination. Suddenly hostile attitudes are directed to the employee, making for a very uncomfortable work environment.
Unfortunately, laws only offer so much protection to whistleblowers. In some cases, there are slim statutes of limitations. Tragically, many companies get away with unfair treatment and whistleblowers are often left without employment.
Many whistleblowers face retaliatory actions once their complaint is filed and their identity is discovered. With the potential of having a monumental effect on a company, employees generally fall out of favor with their superiors. That often translates into a termination of their employment. However, a company cannot simply fire an employee for exposing some kind of truth. When there is inadequate reason for dismissal, discrimination becomes a major part of the whistleblower’s case.
Such discrimination is evident when there is an insufficient investigation into charges filed against an employee. A company will often charge an employee with some sort of infraction and then terminate their employment without coming up with adequate proof.
The timing of the termination is also very telling. If an employee is discharged shortly after blowing the whistle, there is plenty of evidence to prove that the discharge was discriminatory.
Employees are all rated on their performance. Discrimination is easy to pinpoint when ratings suddenly drop. It is uncharacteristic for an otherwise productive employee to suddenly experience a significant dip in performance rating. Nonetheless, companies often attempt to blame dismissals on poor work performance.
Instances such as those are also made to serve as an example to other employees. It sends the message that if they attempt to become a whistleblower, they too will lose their job.
Differential treatment often becomes quite apparent after an employee blows the whistle on a company. It is one of the oldest and most blatant forms of discrimination. Suddenly hostile attitudes are directed to the employee, making for a very uncomfortable work environment.
Unfortunately, laws only offer so much protection to whistleblowers. Tragically, many companies get away with unfair treatment and whistleblowers are often left without employment.
An important step towards preventing that from happening is to document every single act of discrimination. If there is an act that seems even the least bit discriminatory, write it down and then present it to the Human Resources department. Human Resources is obligated to investigate your complaint. Also be ready for any retaliation that may follow as a result of your complaint. Chances are that will indeed happen.
Discrimination even extends to social media networks like Facebook and Twitter. A company can be penalized for the simple task of slandering an employee on a social media network. Coincidentally, employees are permitted to say whatever they want via social media without repercussions from their employer. The National Labor Relations Board has come out publicly stating that employees have the right to talk about work conditions on social media networks without fear of retaliation from their employer.
It is common knowledge that whistleblowers are generally in for a tough time at work once they blow the whistle. While that remains a reality, it is a gross injustice and also highly illegal. That is why it is important to document every part of the process and file the appropriate complaints when necessary.
If you are involved in a whistleblowing case, contact the seasoned Mississippi Whistleblower Attorney at Barrett Law PLLC. We can help you from beginning to end with a team of attorneys who will fight for every one of your rights. Experienced legal counsel in Mississippi is just a phone call away. Contact us today for a free confidential consultation at (800) 707-9577.