11/29/04-Gov. Ruth Ann Minner signed a bill into law in July that extends whistle-blower protection to private sector employees in the state. Such protections are already available to government workers.
SB173, sponsored by Sen. Catherine Cloutier, R-Heatherbrooke, applies to all part-time and full-time workers, including independent contractors.
The new law is intended to protect any worker, regardless of position, from being fired, threatened or discriminated against for reporting to his or her employer that a violation of a state or federal law or regulation has occurred or is about to occur.
A worker who believes he or she is the subject of unlawful retaliation for making such a report would have up to three years to bring a civil claim in Superior Court.