What remedies are available to victims of retaliation?

In Washington, victims of retaliation for whistleblowing may have a variety of remedies available to them. These can include reinstatement to their former job position, back pay, and compensatory damages for emotional distress. Reinstatement is when an employer is ordered to return a whistleblower to their former job. It can include restoring any benefits that were taken away as a result of the retribution. Sometimes when this is not possible, the employer may instead be ordered to provide the whistleblower with a new job position that is comparable to the one they held before. Back pay is a type of compensation used to cover the wages the whistleblower would have earned if they had not suffered retaliation for their whistleblowing. Compensatory damages, on the other hand, are intended to cover losses that are not economic in nature, such as emotional distress. In addition to these three remedies, Washington also allows for punitive damages to be awarded to victims of retaliation. Punitive damages are payments that are meant to punish the employer for their wrongdoings, deter future bad behavior, and compensate the victim for the harm they suffered. Washington also has laws in place to protect whistleblowers from being discriminated against or retaliated against. Under these laws, employers cannot take any action against a whistleblower that might affect their job security or wellbeing. This includes firing them, demoting them, or otherwise making it difficult for them to perform their job duties. If employers are found to be in violation of whistleblower laws, they can be held liable for any resulting harm.

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What remedies are available to victims of retaliation?

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