By Admin | Published October 19, 2015 | Posted in Whistleblower Litigation | Tagged Tags: absolute privilege, allegations of defamation, liability, whistleblower lawsuits | Leave a comment
Texas SC: Absolute Privilege Applies to Statements Made During FCPA Investigations
The Texas Supreme Court recently reversed a ruling in a 2013 Texas Court of Appeals case involving Robert Writt and the Shell Oil Company. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice had asked Shell to conduct some internal investigations into possible Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations within the company, and the company agreed to Read More
Read MoreNew Jersey Supreme Court Ruling Opens Door for School Board Clerk to be Indicted
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled, in a 6-1 decision, that an employee of the North Bergen School Board may be indicted for taking documents from the district, even though she claims she planned to use them in a discrimination lawsuit against the board. The decision meant the denial of a motion by Ivonne Read More
Read MoreFormer VA Official Offers Details on Illegal Removal of Phoenix Whistleblower
A former official from the Department of Veterans Affairs in Phoenix recently signed a sworn affidavit in which she testifies about some serious retaliations made against a whistleblower at the Phoenix VA. That official, Laurie Butler, said she was a part of a meeting with Glen Grippen, the director of the Phoenix VA health care Read More
Read MoreComplaints to a Harassing Supervisor are a Protected Activity Under Federal Law
In a potentially significant case, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the prior decision in EEOC v. New Breed Logistics that in a retaliation claim, requests made to a supervisor that he stop sexually harassing the complainant are considered protected activities under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This is the case even Read More
Read MoreManager at Philadelphia VA Uses Twitter to Threaten Whistleblowers
Veterans Administration locations across the country have been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny over the past year and half. A recent report reveals a manager at the Philadelphia Department of Veterans Affairs’ regional office tweeted out threats to whistleblowers last year on the same day investigators arrived at the location to inspect Read More
Read MoreNDAA Continues to Provide Whistleblowers Much-Needed Protection
July 2015 marked the second anniversary of when the whistleblower protection statutes of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) went into effect. The law has provided a number of new protections for whistleblowers, shielding them from retaliation by employers — especially from government grantees and contractors. So what types of protections does the NDAA Read More
Read MoreKey Factors in Building, Managing Successful Whistleblower Programs
Are you interested in developing a strong whistleblower program for your business? If so, there are some key elements you’ll want to include to make sure it is both effective and easily understood by all employees. The following are a few of the key factors in building and managing a successful whistleblower program: Accessibility. The Read More
Read MoreWatch Out for Drastically Increased Overtime Expenses
A recent proposal from the U.S. Department of Labor would double the minimum salary for the overtime exemption for white collar workers, but would still keep the same complicated duties test in place. As a result, liability for any incidents of misclassification could become significantly more expensive. At this time, salaried employees must make a Read More
Read MoreAbout the New Overtime Rules for White Collar Hospitality Employees
The U.S. Department of Labor recently proposed some revisions to the overtime exemptions in the Fair Labor Standards Act. These revisions could have a significant impact on employees in all fields, but particularly for people working white collar positions in the hospitality industry (such as hotels and restaurants). Under current laws, employees who earn at Read More
Read MoreHow Can You Investigate Employee Misconduct While Someone is on FMLA Leave?
Employers can have a hard time knowing how to handle an internal investigation or disciplining an employee while that employee is taking time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, employees are not allowed to use FMLA leave as a shield from discipline for legitimate incidences of wrongdoing. In one recent case, Read More
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