Assignment 1: Discussion—Whistleblower ProtectionsA whistleblower is someone who reports illegal activities within an organization. Reporting wrongdoing can put employees at risk of creating a negat

Assignment 1: Discussion—Whistleblower Protections

A whistleblower is someone who reports illegal activities within an organization. Reporting wrongdoing can put employees at risk of creating a negative relationship with their employers, resulting in a hostile work environment or even termination.

However, whistleblowers are protected from retaliation by law. For federal employees, the Whistleblower Protection Act provides provisions to protect those reporting wrongdoing. Many other laws include whistleblower provisions, including laws governed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Although a federal law relating to whistleblowing is still lacking in the private industry, most states have also passed protections for whistleblowers to protect those reporting illegal activities.

In this assignment, you will study and report an example of a whistleblower case, discuss the facts surrounding the case, and analyze the outcome of the case on the basis of the law.

Tasks:

For this discussion, research the Internet and identify a published whistleblower case. Answer the following questions in 3–5 paragraphs:

• What was the issue reported by the whistleblower?
• What happened when the individual reported the alleged wrongdoing?
• What laws protected the whistleblower?
• What was the outcome of the situation (in terms of employment status, lawsuit, and corrective action)?

Cite the original law, relevant court cases, and scholarly references in the APA format to support your points.

Submission Details:

• By the due date assigned, post your responses to this Discussion Area.
• Read all postings and through the end of module, respond to at least two of your classmates' postings. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Consider the following questions:
  • How are the circumstances in your classmates' examples different from those in your own case?
  • How might the situation your classmate described be interpreted differently?
  • How could have the situation been prevented?
  • Have you ever experienced a similar issue?

Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Your response should be thorough and address all components of the discussion question in detail, include citations of all sources, where needed, according to the APA Style, and demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Do the following when responding to your peers:

• Read your peers’ answers.
• Provide substantive comments by
  • contributing new, relevant information from course readings, Web sites, or other sources;
  • building on the remarks or questions of others; or
  • sharing practical examples of key concepts from your professional or personal experiences
• Respond to feedback on your posting and provide feedback to other students on their ideas.
• Make sure your writing
  • is clear, concise, and organized;
  • demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and
  • displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Grading Criteria