State and federal statutes protect employees who report evidence of fraud or wrongdoing from retaliation. These employees who alert government authorities to wrongdoing are sometimes referred to as whistleblowers and the laws that protect them from retaliation are known as whistleblower laws.

For example, the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 is a federal statute that protects federal government employees who report possible wrongdoing from retaliation. See 5 U.S.C. §2302(b)(8). Whistleblowers are required to submit information and documents to support their claims, and may be subject to criminal prosecution for making a false claim.

And employees of manufacturers, private labelers, distributors, and retailers are protected from retaliation by their employers for disclosing activities related to the violation of the federal consumer product safety law. See 15 U.S.C. §2087.

Whistleblower laws vary from state to state and in the federal system—and with the nature of the wrongdoing or illegal activity reported—but generally involve the protected disclosure by an employee of:

• the violation of any state or federal law, rule, or regulation;

• fraudulent billing of a state or federal governmental entity for goods or services;

• gross mismanagement of a state or federal contract or grant;

• gross mismanagement;

• gross waste of funds;

• abuse of authority;

• substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.

In Connecticut, whistleblowers are safeguarded by both state and federal statutes designed to protect employees who report fraud or other types of wrongdoing. Under federal law, the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 shields federal employees who disclose evidence of misconduct from retaliation, requiring them to provide supporting information and cautioning against false claims. Additionally, employees involved with consumer products can rely on protections from the federal statute 15 U.S.C. §2087, which prevents employer retaliation for reporting violations of consumer product safety laws. Connecticut's own whistleblower statutes complement these federal laws by offering protections for employees who report state or federal legal violations, fraudulent billing to governmental entities, gross mismanagement of contracts or grants, waste of funds, abuse of authority, or threats to public health or safety. These laws collectively create a framework that encourages the reporting of misconduct while protecting those who come forward from adverse actions by their employers.