Are there whistleblower protection programs for public companies?
Yes, there are whistleblower protection programs for public companies in Washington. The Washington State Whistle Blower Protection Act is the primary law that protects employees from being retaliated against for reporting unethical or unlawful practices. The law prohibits retaliating against an employee or independent contractor who in good faith reports or participates in an investigation of a violation of state or federal law or a violation of public policy. The law also prohibits employers from retaliating against an employee or independent contractor who refuses to participate in an activity that would result in a violation of a law or public policy. Additionally, Washington state has adopted a mandatory whistleblower rule, which requires public companies to establish and maintain policies to protect whistleblowers. The rule requires that the policy must be in writing and include a procedure for employees to report any concerns about violations of laws or public policies. The procedure must also provide protections from retaliation and prohibit any attempts to silence a whistleblower. Finally, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act provides additional protection to whistleblowers at public companies. The law gives the SEC authority to issue awards to eligible whistleblowers who voluntarily provide information to the agency that leads to a successful enforcement action. This includes information about violations of laws, rules, and regulations by publicly traded companies or their subsidiaries.
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