Jury Sides with City of Flint in Whistleblower Lawsuit

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The water crisis in Flint has been national news for the last several years, and one legal battle surrounding the crisis recently came to a head with a jury siding with the city.

The former city administrator, Natasha Henderson, had sued the city under Michigan’s Whistleblower Protection Act. In 2016. According to Henderson, Mayor Karen Weaver fired Henderson three days after she publicly commented on the mayor diverting water crisis donations from safe water and homes to a fund called “Caring for Flint,” which Henderson believed to be a political action committee.

According to Weaver, she set up the fund to raise awareness about the water crisis and to help cover traveling costs associated with going and seeking assistance.

Jurors in the case did agree Henderson had suffered damage and was speaking up in good faith, but disagree that this was the reason the city fired Henderson, and thus did not side with her in the case. Henderson is considering appealing the decision.

Wrongful termination a serious issue

An unfortunate reality of taking on a role as a whistleblower is that you do not endear yourself to higher-ups in your workplace, which means you could face retaliation in a variety of forms, including termination.

However, there are federal laws in place that protect whistleblowers from retaliation and compensate them if they suffer from retaliation in any way. Therefore, if you feel you have been unfairly treated after acting as a whistleblower, it’s critical that you seek the assistance of an experienced attorney at Kardell Law Group.

By Steve Kardell | Published August 12, 2019 | Posted in Whistleblower Litigation | Tagged experienced attorney, Michigan’s Whistleblower Protection Act. In 2016, retaliation, whistleblower lawsuit, Wrongful termination a serious issue

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