Whistleblower Laws Help Healthcare Workers Do What’s Right AND Keep Their Jobs
The news is alarming. More than 760 residents of Connecticut nursing home have died from COVID-19. Nursing homes have underreported COVID-19 deaths in their facilities. Governor Ned Lamont enlisted medical personnel from the Connecticut National Guard and Army Reserve to perform site inspections with the Department of Public Health.
BECOME A WHISTLEBLOWER
What does this mean for the healthcare workers and nursing home or assisted living facility employees? How do you stay safe and healthy, protect the population you serve, and protect your job? Answer: Become a Whistleblower.
STATE AND FEDERAL WHISTLEBLOWER LAWS
Connecticut and the federal government have several whistleblower protection laws designed to protect employees against retaliation if they report unlawful or unethical activity. These laws allow employees to follow their consciences and the law without losing their jobs, getting demoted, penalized, punished etc.
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Occupational Health and Safety Act: You have a right to report unsafe or unhealthy working conditions to the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration without fear of reprisal. This can include your employer’s failure to provide appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, or to properly sequester residents with COVID-19 from residents who are not infected.
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Private Employers: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-51m protects employees of private employers from retaliation if the employee reports violations of state, federal, local law to a œpublic body. Which public body depends upon the law being violated, but it is critical to recognize that this does not protect idle gossip or social media posts.
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Public Employers and Contractors: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 4-61dd protects public employees and contractors against retaliation for reporting corruption, unethical practices, violations of law, abuse of power, waste, etc. The employee must make the report to the Auditors of Public Accounts.
It is critical to remember that these laws do not protect you for œgoing public with the information. They only protect you when you report the activity to the proper public authority. Also, they provide a means of making you whole after the fact “ i.e., after your employer already punished you for blowing the whistle. Many people find it useful to talk with an employment lawyer to work out the best strategy to avoid the punishment altogether.
Whistleblower Laws Help Healthcare Workers Do What’s Right AND Keep Their Jobs. For more information about this article, please contact our employment attorneys in Connecticut and New York, Carey & Associates, P.C. call 203-255-4150.
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