Retaliation & Whistleblower Claims

Philadelphia Employee Claims for Retaliation on the Job

Anyone who has worked for a living for any length of time understands that life in the American workplace is not always fair. Sometimes you have to go along to get along, and there's not much you can do about it. In other situations, however, employees are protected by state or federal law from employer retaliation.

New Jersey's Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) is an especially valuable statute that empowers workers to resist pressure to cover up illegal activity or safety violations without worrying about retaliation from the boss. Pennsylvania workers are protected under a variety of federal laws that apply in different situations. To find out more about your right to protection as a whistleblower or in other potential retaliation situations, contact a knowledgeable employment law attorney at the Law Offices of Stanley B. Cheiken in Jenkintown.

We represent both Pennsylvania and New Jersey employees who are concerned about the possibility of employer retaliation in such situations as the following:

• Termination for refusing to falsify documents or reports
• Reporting safety violations, environmental damage, or even criminal activity
• Cooperating with an internal or outside investigation of job discrimination or sexual harassment
• Testifying about the illegal activity of a co-worker or supervisor
• Demotion, reassignment, or termination for taking advantage of a right such as pregnancy leave, workers' compensation, or disability accommodations

Although your rights vary somewhat depending on where you live and work, the nature of the activity or right that provoked the retaliation, and the nature of the employer's action against you, you may be protected against tangible adverse action by an employer against you for the exercise of a protected right. Our experience with the investigation and presentation of whistleblower and other retaliation claims under both state and federal law can help give you a clear understanding of your right to file suit or your leverage in the negotiation of a severance agreement.

The time periods for filing retaliation or New Jersey CEPA claims vary significantly depending on the terms of the specific law that protects you. If you need dependable advice about your rights and options in a workplace retaliation case, contact employment lawyer Stanley Cheiken for a free consultation about your particular situation.