{"id":3206,"date":"2022-06-22T18:32:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-22T18:32:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/?page_id=3206"},"modified":"2024-09-02T18:43:49","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T18:43:49","slug":"whistleblower-protection","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonwhitelaw.com\/az-labor-employment-law\/employee-law-services\/whistleblower-protection\/","title":{"rendered":"Arizona Whistleblower Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Sometimes, a business engages in practices that are against the law or are hazardous to communities around them or to those who purchase their products or services.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In these cases, people who work for the company may become aware of the problem and may report it to appropriate agencies.<\/p>

In order to prevent retaliation and loss of employment for what is essentially “doing the right thing” in reporting illegal or unethical business practices, laws have been passed to protect these individuals. These laws have been enacted on both a federal and state level. Continue reading for valuable information about the relevant laws covering those who report safety violations and illegal operations, also known as Arizona whistleblower laws.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What Is A Whistleblower?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The term “whistleblower” comes from the historic use of a whistle by law enforcement officer to alert the public of a crime and to call them to aid in the chase of the suspect. Merchants soon began to use a whistle to alert the police of crimes against them, and the term “whistleblower” came into a wider usage.<\/p>

The use of the term “whistleblower” also relates to referees in various sports who use a whistle to alert to fouls and other actions that are against the rules of play. Whistleblowing has come to mean “alerting the public of a crime or dangerous situation in regard to a business or agency.”<\/p>

It is the formal reporting of illicit actions by these bodies, generally by someone who works at the business and who is in a position to have closely-held information about the problem. Generally, whistleblowing involves individual harm, or potential harm, a violation of public trust or a breach of national security.<\/p>

Arizona Whistleblower Protection Laws<\/h2>

Because of their employment at the business that is engaged in the illegal activity, those who report illicit activities are subject to firing, harassment or other actions as a result of their going to authorities to report the problem.<\/p>

To help these individuals, and to encourage other people to report problems that affect the public good, legislation has been enacted to provide protection from retaliation for whistleblowers.<\/p>

Whistleblower protection legislation may cover particular industries, such as the food production or financial companies, because these often have a direct and detrimental effect on the public at large. Because of their importance to the public, other industries may also have their own laws regarding whistleblower protections, such as the transportation or nuclear power industry.<\/p>

Examples of Company Wrongdoings That May Require Reporting<\/h2>

Some actions of a company or agency may be so egregious that the consequences could endanger the public health or violate the public trust, such as:<\/p>