A whistleblower is an individual who notifies authorities of some type of illegal or unethical conduct within an organization. Whistleblowers often receive a lot of unwanted attention for their involvement in major scandals and controversies. But this isn’t the only potential consequence of being a whistleblower. Many brave whistleblowers are fired by their employers for reporting misconduct. If you’ve been terminated for blowing the whistle, it’s important to understand your rights in Oklahoma.
Whistleblowers & Wrongful Termination
Oklahoma is an at-will employment state, which means that employers can typically fire employees at any time and for any reason. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If the termination of an employee violates a state or federal law, it is known as a wrongful termination. In many cases, firing a whistleblower is considered a wrongful termination.
How to File A Wrongful Termination Claim
Whistleblowers who have been wrongfully terminated could be entitled to compensation for this violation of their rights. The process of filing a wrongful termination claim will vary depending on the type of misconduct you reported as a whistleblower.
For example, let’s say you reported your employer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for their failure to address safety hazards in the workplace. Then, you were fired as a result of your decision to report this misconduct. In this case, you would need to file a whistleblower retaliation complaint with OSHA either online, over the phone, in person, or by mail.
This is the process that must be followed if you are a whistleblower who lost their job after reporting misconduct to OSHA. But the process of filing a wrongful termination claim will be different for whistleblowers who did not report safety hazards to OSHA.
The rules—and the deadlines for filing a claim—vary depending on what type of misconduct you reported. Because the laws are so complex, it’s in your best interest to hire an employment law attorney for assistance. Your attorney can review your case, guide you through the process of filing a claim, and help you secure the compensation you are entitled to by law.
As a whistleblower, you should be applauded for your bravery. If you have been wrongfully terminated due to your decision to report misconduct, let the attorneys at Armstrong & Vaught, P.L.C. help. We will aggressively fight to secure the compensation you deserve. Call us at (918) 582-2500 or toll-free at (800) 722-8880 or complete the simple form below for a free consultation with a skilled attorney.