State Employee Whistleblower Law
State Employee Whistleblower Law
Washington Employment Law Attorneys Deliver Counsel for State Whistleblowers
At Mann & Kytle we are experienced public employment lawyers who work state wide to protect employees of any department or agency of the state of Washington who are whistleblowers and to recover damages for whistleblower retaliation and wrongful termination.
State Employee Whistleblower Retaliation:
If you have reason to believe you have been retaliated against for blowing the whistle, or because your supervision or management or coworkers perceived you to have blown the whistle, or because you assisted a whistleblower, we will review the facts and evidence you have and advise you of your options under Washington’s powerful state employee whistleblower protection law.
How We Champion Your Claim
Taking action can feel overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. We guide you through every stage of the legal process with a clear, strategic approach designed to protect your rights.
Comprehensive Case Evaluation
Our process begins with a confidential review of your case. We analyze the evidence and assess the strength of your claim, providing a straightforward explanation of your legal options so you can choose the best path forward.
Strategic & Decisive Action
Based on your goals, we develop a targeted legal strategy to assert your rights. This may include filing a formal complaint, issuing a demand letter, or initiating a lawsuit. We build a powerful case designed to counter employer tactics and achieve success.
Dedicated Advocacy & Resolution
As your dedicated advocates, our goal is to secure justice for you. Whether through skilled negotiation or aggressive litigation in court, we fight to recover the full damages you are owed, including lost wages, emotional distress, and reinstatement.
Understanding Whistleblower Protections in Washington State
A “whistleblowing” report is a report about gross waste of public funds, serious state employee workplace misconduct, state employee or agency violations of law, state employee theft, self-dealing, conflict of interest, corruption and the like.
Whistleblowing reports can be made to public officials, such as to the State Auditor, to the State Attorney General, to your Department’s or Agency’s or Commission’s top executives, to a state college or University president or Board of Trustees, to a State Hospital CEO, or to the Legislature; or other public official designated to receive whistleblower reports or complaints in the website or policies of any state government “entity”.
Types of actions that may be unlawful Whistleblower retaliation include:
- Demotion or reduction in pay;
- Dismissal or termination of employment;
- Denial of promotion;
- Denial of adequate staff to perform duties;
- Frequent and undesirable office changes;
- Refusal to assign meaningful work;
- Unwarranted/unsubstantiated letters of reprimand;
- Unwarranted Adverse performance evaluation;
- Unwarranted damaging references for other employment;
- Supervisors or upper management behaving or encouraging coworkers to behave in a hostile manner toward a whistle blower or person perceived to be a whistleblower.
- An adverse change in the physical location of the employees’ workplace or the basic nature of the employee’s job.
- Any other action that is inconsistent with actions taken (1) before the employee engaged in actual or perceived whistleblower conduct; or (2) compared to other employees who have not engaged in actual or perceived whistleblowing conduct.
What you need to win a lawsuit for State Employee Whistleblower Retaliation:
To obtain legal relief in an employment law action, you need to do more than demonstrate that you had a bad boss. The employer will seek to prove that the whistleblowing was not the cause of their actions or your damages. After discussing the circumstances in your case in a consultation, we will assess whether a legal violation causing serious damages more probably than not can be proven, and outline what types of actions and remedies might be warranted.
Overcoming Common Employer Defenses
The challenge in any retaliation case is proving the employer's true motive. Employers will almost never admit that they punished an employee for whistleblowing; instead, they will offer alternative, legitimate-sounding reasons for their actions, such as poor performance or restructuring. Our deep experience in public employment law allows us to anticipate these defenses. We work to build a robust evidentiary record that connects your protected activity to the adverse actions you suffered, demonstrating that the employer's explanation is merely a pretext for unlawful retaliation.
If an actionable claim exists that our firm would pursue, we will propose ways to pursue your potential claim and if you decide to pursue the claim, and which method you choose, we work together with you gathering the strongest available evidence, and can pursue demand letters, tort claims and/or lawsuits to obtain recoverable relief for damages the retaliation has caused you to suffer.
What our customers are saying
“I recommend James Kytle. James handled my Personal Injury matter. Jim Kytle is a great lawyer. He always kept me well informed and did well with my case. I highly recommend him.”
— Personal Injury Client
“Excellent people skills. Kept me informed constantly and I felt she was there for me. Have used her services more than once and refer her out on a regular basis to potential clients… Read More
— Discrimination Client
“Mary Ruth was wonderful to work with. She has a high level of integrity. Mary Ruth knew how to be gentle when it was called for and aggressive when it was needed. I felt she truly cared about the indignities that I suffered at the hands of my prior employer. Mary Ruth and her skilled team brought me a sense of justice at the end of a nightmare. read more..."
— Wrongful Termination Client
Can you sue your employer and keep your job?
Washington law explicitly protects public employees from being fired in retaliation for making a good-faith complaint. However, since employers may try to create a different reason for their actions, having experienced legal counsel is crucial to enforce your rights. If you are considering reporting misconduct or are already facing retaliation, contact Mann & Kytle today for a confidential consultation to learn how we can protect your career.