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Date: Tue, Apr 19, 2016
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Time: 01:00 PM EDT
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Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Host(s): Kara M. Maciel and Lindsay A. Smith
A host of federal and state laws include provisions prohibiting employers from retaliating against whistleblowers who engage in activities protected by the statute. The Occupational Safety and Health Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and several other laws that regulate the relationship between employers and employees, contain such whistleblower protections. Pursuant to these protections, the laws also provide a mechanism through which employees can report incidents of retaliation to the government to investigate and potentially bring an enforcement action against the employer. With the number of whistleblower claims continuing to rise in 2015, it is imperative for employers to understand what types of actions could be the impetus for a whistleblower investigation and the potential consequences.
Participants will learn the following:
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Specific requirements of the major employment-related laws, including the OSH Act and Title VII, that contain whistleblower protections
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Proactive measures employers can take to avoid whistleblower claims
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Strategies employers can use to effectively respond to whistleblower investigations and defend against enforcement actions
Presenter Information
Kara M. Maciel
Kara M. Maciel is a founding partner of Conn Maciel Carey and Chair of the firm’s national Labor • Employment Practice Group. She focuses her practice on representing employers in all aspects of the employment relationship.
Ms. Maciel works to create workplace solutions for her clients across all industries. She defends employers in litigation at both the federal and state levels, including matters related to ADA, FLSA, FMLA, Title VII, and affirmative action/OFCCP regulations. She advises clients regarding the protection of trade secrets and the misappropriation of confidential or proprietary information, both defending employers and pursuing enforcement against former employees. Ms. Maciel counsels employers on how to develop lawful strategies to comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Lindsay A. Smith
Lindsay A. Smith is an associate in the national OSHA • Workplace Safety Practice Group at the law firm Conn Maciel Carey PLLC, where she focuses her practice on all aspects of occupational safety & health law. Ms. Smith represents employers in inspections, investigations and enforcement actions involving OSHA, the Chemical Safety Board, MSHA, EPA and state and local safety related agencies. Shealso handles all aspects of OSHA litigation, from criminal prosecutions to appeals of citations.
