Each year, many people take the initiative to make complaints against their employer. This could be for many reasons; perhaps they have witnessed their employer engaging in fraudulent activities, or maybe they believe that their working environment is unsafe.
Whatever the reason is for the complaint, the employee who raised the complaint is then legally known as a whistleblower. This means that they are legally protected from any retaliation that may occur in the aftermath of the complaint. It is very common for an employer to take negative action against whistleblowers, perhaps by firing them or demoting them. However, this type of behavior is unlawful in most situations. Here are some ways that you can work to protect yourself as a whistleblower:
Understand your statute of limitations
It is important that you file a complaint about your retaliatory treatment in good time. You should take it upon yourself to learn about the amount of time you have after the incident took place before you must file a complaint, because if you wait too long, the complaint could become invalid.
You can attempt to prevent retaliation by filing anonymously
By filing an anonymous complaint, you can go far toward preventing the occurrence of employer retaliation. However, retaliation may still occur if your employer suspects you of making the complaint.
Don’t create legitimate reasons for your employer to fire you
Disputes can occur when an employer argues that they have a legitimate reason to fire you after you have made a complaint.
If you have been retaliated against after making a complaint, it is important to assert your rights.
Source: Lexology, “6 Ways Whistleblowers Can Protect Themselves,” accessed April 11, 2018
