Advance Notice: Briefs

Michigan Republicans on Tuesday announced a bill to expand protections for whistleblowers, telling reporters several state employees had declined to testify before the House Oversight Committee citing a fear of retribution.

“We have developed a common theme in our interaction with department employees, and it’s simply this: Tell us about what’s going on, share us information. And what we get consistently from those employees is, ‘I will be happy to share information with you, but I will not come and testify, and I would prefer you don’t use my name, because the retribution that may come back at me in our department could be swift and severe because of what we may be telling you,’” Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township) said.

After reviewing the state’s current whistleblower protection law, DeBoyer found it “woefully inept” saying it provided “exactly zero penalties, maybe a $500 fine if it is determined that an employer, a department head, a supervisor, has intimidated or harassed you because you have come forward and spoke the truth.”

In response, DeBoyer’s bill, which has yet to be introduced and given a bill number, would up the fine to $2,000, with the fine placed in the general fund.

While the current law allows for the reinstatement of any employee who was terminated for speaking out against misconduct, DeBoyer’s bill would allow them to receive up to three times the amount of back wages as well as full reinstatement of fringe benefits...

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