National Whistleblower Center (NWC), as a member organization of the Workplace Sexual Harassment Coalition, has signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to support the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act (H.R. 4924) which passed in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support last month. The Act, which seeks to improve workplace protections for Congressional staff, has gained broad public support due to the #MeToo movement.
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Legislation
National Whistleblower Center Executive Director Explains Why Supreme Court Decision in Digital Realty is Disastrous for Internal Compliance Programs
In Digital Realty Trust v. Somers the Supreme Court issued a destructive decision that will have far-reaching consequences for whistleblowers. Seemingly unaware of the practical consequences of its decision, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled to leave whistleblowers who report internally without critical protections under the Dodd-Frank Act.
Writing for Law 360, NWC Executive Director Stephen M. Kohn explains that employees now take grave risks in using internal compliance programs. In light of the Supreme Court’s decision, whistleblowers should hire an attorney and take their complaints directly to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).Continue Reading National Whistleblower Center Executive Director Explains Why Supreme Court Decision in Digital Realty is Disastrous for Internal Compliance Programs
Big Win for Whistleblowers in Bipartisan Budget Act
Crippling Loopholes in the Tax and Wall Street Whistleblower Reward Laws are Closed
WASHINGTON, D.C. | February 9, 2018—The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, approved today by the U.S. Congress, included two key whistleblower-rights amendments initially introduced by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA). These amendments ensure that employees who blow the whistle on criminal tax fraudsters are covered under the IRS whistleblower law, and end the double-taxation of whistleblower awards under the Dodd-Frank Act.Continue Reading Big Win for Whistleblowers in Bipartisan Budget Act
The National Whistleblower Center Supports #MeToo Legislation
The National Whistleblower Center, as a member of the Workplace Sexual Harassment Coalition, has signed a letter to the House of Representatives with a set of recommendations for the bipartisan bill, the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act. In the midst of the #MeToo movement, the bill aims to improve the workplace environment for Congressional staff.
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Federal Whistleblowers Have Faced Government Shutdown on Justice For Over a Year
All around the nation, hundreds of thousands of federal employees did not report to work today because of the federal government shutdown. Military families will not receive death benefits, active duty soldiers will not be paid, and the aggregate effects of a shutdown are expected to cost the American economy about $1 billion per day.
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For #MeToo Moment to Last, Strengthen Whistleblower Protections
(This article was published on January 8, 2018 in the Baltimore Sun.)
The Golden Globe Awards this Sunday put the #MeToo movement in the spotlight. Many actresses wore black to express to solidarity, and a number of them brought important activists as their dates. Millions were raised for a legal defense fund to help women fight sexual harassment and abuse.
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Seminar Series on Whistleblowing Highlights Need for Robust System of Protection and Rewards
On February 9th the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), in partnership with the National Whistleblower Center, hosted the first seminar in a two-part series on wildlife whistleblowing. “Harnessing the Power of Whistleblowers: Combating Wildlife Crime” focused on the vital role that whistleblowers play in the fight against global wildlife trafficking. Panelists included Stephen M. Kohn, Executive Director of The National Whistleblower Center; Crawford Allan, Senior Director of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF); and Alexander (Sascha) Von Bismark Executive Director of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).
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Congress Unanimously Closes One Loophole in FBI Whistleblower Protections
More FBI whistleblower reforms needed in next Congress
December 12, 2016. In the wee hours of Saturday morning’s lame duck session, the U.S. Senate passed a truncated version of the FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act (WPEA). This bill was drawn from an excerpted portion of a bill of the same name, originally introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in 2015. Whereas the original bill was a full reform of the broken FBI whistleblower protection system, there were last minute objections from the intelligence community that prevented enactment of the full FBI WPEA.Continue Reading Congress Unanimously Closes One Loophole in FBI Whistleblower Protections
Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus Designates National Whistleblower Appreciation Day: July 30, 2016
Washington, D.C. June 30, 2016. The bipartisan Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus cosponsored a resolution on Thursday designating July 30, 2016 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day. This resolution was introduced in order to recognize the crucial role whistleblowers play in exposing fraud and wrongdoing, and to encourage federal agencies to acknowledge the legal rights of whistleblowers.
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Senate Establishes “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day”
Yesterday, by an unanimous resolution the U.S. Senate has declared July 30, 2013 as “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.”…
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