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 Idaho, as in other states, there are laws in place to protect whistleblowers—employees who report misconduct, fraud, or illegal activities—from retaliation by their employers. At the federal level, the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 shields federal employees who disclose evidence of wrongdoing, as outlined in 5 U.S.C. §2302(b)(8). Additionally, under 15 U.S.C. §2087, employees involved with consumer products can report violations of federal consumer product safety laws without fear of employer retaliation. While the specifics of whistleblower protections can differ based on the nature of the reported activity, they generally cover reporting state or federal legal violations, fraudulent billing of government entities, gross mismanagement, waste of funds, abuse of authority, or threats to public health or safety. It's important for whistleblowers to provide supporting information for their claims, as submitting false claims can lead to criminal prosecution. Idaho state statutes complement these federal protections, ensuring that whistleblowers within the state have recourse if they face retaliation for lawful reporting of misconduct.