Whistleblower Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA

California Labor Code Section 1102.5 protects employees who disclose information to “a government or law enforcement agency, to a person with authority over the employee, or to another employee who has authority to investigate, discover, or correct the violation or noncompliance” when the employee has “reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of state or federal statute, or a violation of or noncompliance with a local, state, or federal rule or regulation,” regardless of whether the conduct ultimately turns out to be unlawful. This means that protection generally applies to reports of illegal conduct—not to internal policy disagreements alone—and that employees may still be protected if they reasonably believed the conduct violated the law.

To strengthen a potential claim, complaints should be made in writing, kept concise and specific, and preserved in a manner that shows the employer received them, such as by email.

Whistleblowers may face challenges such as workplace retaliation, strained professional relationships, or attempts to discredit their claims. However, various federal and state laws provide protections for individuals who report unlawful conduct in good faith.

Employees who experience retaliation after reporting misconduct may have legal remedies available. Depending on the circumstances, they may be able to pursue claims for lost wages, reinstatement, emotional distress, or other damages. Our attorneys can evaluate whether retaliatory actions violated applicable whistleblower protection laws.

Our team at Kesluk, Silverstein, Jacob, & Morrison can help you understand your rights, evaluate the strength of a potential claim, gather and preserve evidence, and navigate the reporting process. We also work to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and provide guidance at every stage of the case, helping clients make informed decisions about how to move forward.

Signing a nondisclosure agreement never prevents you from reporting illegal conduct or cooperating with government investigations. In many situations, laws protecting whistleblowers take precedence over contractual provisions that seek to restrict lawful reporting.

Possibly. The ability to pursue a whistleblower claim often depends on the specific facts of the case and any applicable statutes of limitation. We can review the circumstances and determine whether legal options remain available despite the passage of time.

Depending on the applicable law and the facts of the case, damages may include lost pay, lost benefits, emotional distress damages, punitive damages, attorney's fees, and other compensation related to the retaliation. The available remedies will vary based on the type of claim and the harm suffered.