Employee Protection (Whistleblower) Provisions

These environmental Acts provide protection from discharge or other discriminatory actions by employers in retaliation for employees' good faith complaints about safety and health hazards in the workplace and the environment. Employees have the right under the Acts to refuse to work in hazardous or unsafe situations. These Acts prohibit employers from discharging or otherwise discriminating against employees in retaliation for their disclosure of safety and health hazards. However, the Acts specifically exclude from protection the disclosure of hazards deliberately caused by an employee. An employee who believes that he or she has suffered discrimination in violation of these protective provisions may file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.