Most every state in this country has a law on the book that protects whistleblowers who come forward and report some type of impropriety. West Virginia is no different in this aspect.
West Virginia Code 6C-1-1, et seq. is the state’s whistleblower law. It protects employees and their representatives from being discriminated against, threatened and discharged from their job roles for reporting certain abuses of power or waste.
This state code classifies employees or representatives who testify about or report an employer’s violation of state or federal ordinances, regulations or laws as a whistleblower. A person who witnesses and reports any employer waste or ethics violations may be classified as a whistleblower as well.
West Virginia whistleblower protections don’t only apply to workers in the public space but to those that are employed in the private sector also.
State law allows for whistleblowers who have been retaliated against to sue their employers for damages. West Virginia workers may demand that their job be reinstated and that their employers restore their rights and benefits. The whistleblower may be able to request back pay as well as attorney and court fees that they’ve amassed as well. State law gives workers 180 days to take legal action against their employers in such instances.
Compiling enough evidence necessary to make a successful whistleblowing claim isn’t easy. Putting your job and your livelihood on the line all in the name of keeping others honest is even more difficult. An employment law – employees attorney can help review any evidence of your employer’s impropriety that you’ve amassed and let you know whether it warrants you filing a whistleblowing complaint. Your Charleston lawyer can also prepare you for what to expect once you expose the truth.
