Let’s all direct our attention to Elon Musk for a masterclass in whistleblower retaliation.
It’s people like him that give credence to National Whistleblower Center’s efforts to bring whistleblower protections to the forefront and fight for rewards and anti-retaliation protections for all who have the courage to blow the whistle. When rich and powerful people publicly embarrass whistleblowers, we know two things: (1) those who witness this are often afraid to blow the whistle, and (2) public embarrassment is why whistleblowing is so important – only hurt giants yelp.
During NWC’s recent International Anti-Corruption Academy Course on retaliation, leading whistleblower attorney Stephen M. Kohn shared an insightful nugget, “Companies retaliate the worst against whistleblowers with the best claims.”
Yes, he said it.
When whistleblowers have powerful, persuasive, and supported claims, companies shake and strike back, attempting to silence these claims. Retaliation is often a sign that the whistleblower(s) have struck a nerve or are getting close to something the company wants to hide. So, Mr. Musk, what are you hiding?
What is whistleblower retaliation? Whistleblower retaliation is defined by a complex framework built on precedents. I will not bore you with them today. However, I hope the Tesla whistleblowers’ attorneys are familiar with them. You need to know that any adverse – harmful – action taken against a whistleblower after raising concerns can be considered...
A British science journalist-turned-attorney who initiated a lawsuit that saw a Harvard University-affiliated cancer centre pay $15 million (11 million) to settle claims of alleged data misreprese...