House Democrats Introduce Whistleblower Protection Bill

Friday, November 1, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC --U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, chair of the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, today introduced legislation that would expand and simplify protections for workers in the private sector who expose illegal actions by their employers.

The legislation, the Private Sector Whistleblower Protection Streamlining Act (H.R. 4047), extends already established whistleblower protections for employees who report violations of critical food safety, drug safety, consumer protection, environmental protection, health care, and homeland security laws. Woolsey’s subcommittee held a hearing early this year on the need for expanded whistleblower protections.

“Employees who expose illegal practices or safety violations benefit us all,” said Woolsey.  “But when they blow the whistle, they are often retaliated against. They are demoted, lose their jobs and are blacklisted.  This legislation is modeled after the federal government’s whistleblower regulations, and will ensure that all workers will have the protections that they deserve.”

The proposal provides for reinstatement to employees who are fired in response to their actions, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

“American workers deserve to be protected if they do the right thing and speak up about jobsite dangers or defective products that may harm consumers,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee and a co-sponsor of the legislation. “Unfortunately, retaliation in the workplace continues to be a sad reality for those who expose illegal or unethical activity by their employers. This bill puts some much-needed teeth into our nation’s whistleblower laws and simplifies procedures for those who have suffered retaliation in their place of business.”   

Witnesses at the May hearing said that conflicting laws and complex procedures have left many who report illegal activity unprotected by federal whistleblower laws. 

Complaints of intimidation or reprisal will generally be investigated by a newly established office within the Employment Standards Administration at the Department of Labor, whose sole responsibility will be to investigate such complaints.  Under the proposal, whistleblowers would have the option of pursuing their claims for retaliation through the administrative process or taking their cases directly to a Federal District Court.  Final decisions of the Secretary can be appealed to the Court of Appeals. 

In addition to Woolsey and Miller, the legislation was co-sponsored by Education and Labor Committee Members: Dale Kildee (D-MI); Donald Payne (D-NJ); Robert Andrews (D-NJ); Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY); John Tierney (D-MA); Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Tim Bishop (D-NY); Phil Hare (D-IL); and Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH).

For more information on the subcommittee’s hearing, click here.

To view the text of H.R. 4047, click here.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Kiley / Rachel Racusen
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