Are there any legal restrictions on what information I can disclose?

Yes, there are legal restrictions on what information you can disclose as a whistleblower in California. Whistleblowing laws are in place to protect individuals who have witnessed violations of laws, regulations, or ethical standards. Under California labor law, employers are prohibited from taking adverse action against an employee for disclosing information that involves reasonable cause to believe that there has been a violation of local, state or federal law, or a violation of public policy. The California False Claims Act contains specific provisions for limiting the disclosure of confidential information to the limits necessary for any investigation, hearing, or judicial proceeding. Additionally, California privacy law limits the disclosure of confidential information about individuals, such as employee social security numbers, bank information, and other personally-identifiable information. Whistleblowing laws underscore the importance of ensuring that confidential information is not indiscriminately shared. In other words, before disclosing information it is important to make sure that it is legally permissible to do so. To summarize, you must be mindful of the restrictions in place when disclosing information as a whistleblower in California. Depending upon the circumstances, certain disclosures may be illegal. It is important to research and understand the specific laws that pertain to whistleblowing in the state before making a decision to disclose any potential confidential information.

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