Some whistleblower cases arise from conduct that is witnessed by members of the armed forces. In a recent whistleblower lawsuit, a former deckhand claims that he was terminated after he reported illegal conduct that he alleged he witnessed while working on board the motor vessel “Mississippi.” The whistleblower had not been cited for any previous incidences of misconduct during his lengthy career with the armed forces. Additionally, he was terminated while on military duty, so the circumstances surrounding his termination certainly seem suspicious.
The deckhand, an Iraq war veteran with nearly twenty years of prior military service, started working on the Mississippi as a seasonal employee in December of 2013. The vessel is used for a variety of purposes, including holding meetings in its large hearing room, serving as an inspection boat for the Mississippi River Commission, and moving barges and equipment for military exercises. Individuals who are not directly involved with the military, such as politicians, are often on board the Mississippi as guests and meeting attendees.
Some of the illegal conduct that the whistleblower claims that he witnessed was alcohol consumption by superiors and crew members. Consumption and possession of alcohol on government vessels is prohibited by regulations issued by both the United States Coast Guard and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association. The ship’s captain claimed that he received a letter from Washington, D.C. which gave permission for people on the ship to consume alcohol, but neither the whistleblower nor anyone else ever actually saw that letter. The whistleblower allegedly witnessed other illegal conduct too, in the form of racist behavior which included white officers treating black employees as if they were their slaves. He was personally involved in one such incident, when he refused to carry luggage for a senior officer’s wife because it was outside the scope of his duties as a maintenance officer and because the request that he carry the luggage was made in a rude and rather demeaning manner.
Barrett Law PLLC: Standing up for Mississippi Whistleblowers
It can be very difficult to come forward and expose improper conduct on the part of a corporation or an organization, and even more so when you put your job at risk. If you believe that you have a valid whistleblower claim, the Mississippi Whistleblower Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC may be able to help you. Our attorneys can provide you with the information you need to understand the whistleblower claims process and the legal assistance that you will require as your whistleblower case moves forward. To learn more about how we can help you, please call our office today at 1 (800) 707-9577 to schedule your free, initial consultation.