Understanding Adverse Employment Actions
When you participate in legally protected activities at work, Federal law prohibits your employer from retaliating against you. In other words, your employer cannot punish you. Some employers nevertheless seek to take retaliatory actions against employees who blow the whistle.
Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers are a protected class of employees. You become a whistleblower when you report illegal activities on the part of your employer. Not surprisingly, this can get you in trouble with your employer, who may well attempt to take out his or her anger and frustration against you by means of what is called an adverse employment action. Fortunately, the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 protects you and prohibits your employer from taking such actions against you.
No Precise Definition
Unfortunately, no statute or court decision has ever precisely defined what constitutes an adverse employment action. Instead, courts must go on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the … Read more