DOLOn November 6, 2015, the DOL’s Administrative Review Board affirmed the dismissal of Consumer Financial Protection Act (“CFPA”) whistleblower claims of a terminated mortgage broker, concluding that the complainant did not engage in protected activity. Childs v Sente Mortgage, ARB Case No. 14-043. This is one of a growing number of claims being filed under the CFPA.

Background

Complainant Thomas Childs worked as a mortgage broker for Sente Mortgage (“Company”).  During his employment, he allegedly made internal inquiries concerning his mortgage broker license, the payment of commissions and referral fees, and telemarketing cold calls.  On September 25, 2012, the Company terminated his employment, asserting that he failed to meet the production requirements of his performance improvement plan.  He proceeded to pursue a whistleblower retaliation claim under the CFPA.  After OSHA and an ALJ dismissed his claim, Childs appealed to the ARB.

ARB’s Decision

The ARB limited its review to whether Childs met his burden to prove that he engaged in protected activity.  Childs argued that he engaged in protected activity under three different statutes.  First, he alleged that “he refused to act as a mortgage banker before his license was activated as it would violate the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Lending Act (SAFE).”  However, the ARB found that Childs failed to present any evidence of a violation of SAFE or any actions which could be reasonably perceived as a violation of SAFE.  In fact, the parties stipulated that the Company had provided Childs with its policy governing job duties and restrictions prior to the activation of an employee’s license, and the Company told Childs that his employment would be terminated if he violated the policy.

Second, Childs alleged that he “raised concerns regarding violations of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), which proscribes the payment of commissions or profit distribution to unlicensed employees.”  Although the ARB noted that he may have made inquiries about these topics, it concluded that there was no evidence that he objected to a policy he reasonably believed to be unlawful.

Third, Childs alleged that he “reported concerns regarding violations of the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act” and its rules, which prohibit telemarketers from placing cold calls to individuals who are on the national “do not call” registry.  The ARB recognized that he raised questions about the legality of cold calls, but that he was told it was his responsibility to access the registry and ensure his compliance.  Moreover, the ARB found that although he maintained an internal database to record customers that did not wish to be contacted, he chose not to access either the national registry or the internal registry to ensure compliance.  Thus, Childs did not establish that he refused to participate in an assigned task that would violate the law.

Implications

Childs is one of the few ARB cases that has been decided under the CFPA since the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010.  As we noted in a prior blog post, the number of CFPA whistleblower complaints to OSHA has increased markedly over the last two years, and the number of complaints are expected to rise.

Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Steven J. Pearlman Steven J. Pearlman

Steven J. Pearlman is a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Department, where he is Head of the Restrictive Covenants, Trade Secrets & Unfair Competition Group and Co-Head of the Whistleblowing & Retaliation Group.

Employment, Whistleblower, Restrictive Covenant and Trade Secret Practice.

Steven J. Pearlman is a partner in the Labor & Employment Law Department, where he is Head of the Restrictive Covenants, Trade Secrets & Unfair Competition Group and Co-Head of the Whistleblowing & Retaliation Group.

Employment, Whistleblower, Restrictive Covenant and Trade Secret Practice. Steven’s national practice focuses on defending companies in federal and state courts and arbitration against claims of: discrimination, retaliation and harassment, including claims brought by high-level executives; whistleblower retaliation; restrictive covenant violations; theft of trade secrets; and wage-and-hour violations (including class, collective and PAGA actions).

Illustrating his versatility, Steven has successfully handled bench and jury trials in multiple jurisdictions (e.g., Illinois, California, Florida and Texas); defended one of the largest Illinois-only class actions in the history of the federal courts in Chicago; and prevailed following his oral arguments before the Seventh Circuit and state appellate courts. Steven brings his litigation experience to bear in counseling clients to minimize risk and avoid or prepare for success in litigation.

Investigations. Reporting to boards of directors, their audit committees, CEOs and in-house counsel, Steven conducts sensitive investigations and has testified in federal court. His investigations have involved complaints of sexual harassment involving C-suite officers; systemic violations of employment laws and company policies; and fraud, compliance failures and unethical conduct.

Thought Leadership and Accolades. Steven was named Lawyer of the Year for Chicago Labor & Employment Litigation in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He was also named as One of the Top 10 Impactful Labor & Employment Lawyers in Illinois for 2023 by Business Today. He is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Chambers describes Steven as an “outstanding lawyer” who is “very sharp and very responsive,” a “strong advocate,” and an “expert in his field.” Chambers also reports that “He is someone who can navigate the twists and turns of litigation without difficulty. Steven is great with brief-writing, crafting arguments, and making sure the client is always happy.”

Steven was 1 of 12 individuals selected by Compliance Week as a “Top Mind.” Earlier in his career, he was 1 of 5 U.S. lawyers selected by Law360 as a “Rising Star Under 40” in the area of employment law and 1 of “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch” selected by Law Bulletin Publishing Company. Steven is a Burton Award Winner (U.S. Library of Congress) for “Distinguished Legal Writing.”

Steven was appointed to Law360’s Employment Editorial Advisory Board and selected as a Contributor to Forbes.com. He has appeared on Bloomberg News (television and radio) and Yahoo! Finance, and is often quoted in leading publications such as The Wall Street Journal.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has engaged Steven to serve as lead counsel on amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court and federal circuit courts of appeal. He was appointed to serve as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois in employment litigation matters. He has presented with the Solicitor of the DOL, the Acting Chair of the EEOC, an EEOC Commissioner, Legal Counsel to the EEOC, and heads of the SEC, CFTC and OSHA whistleblower programs. He is also a member of the Sedona Conference, focusing on trade secret matters.

In 2024, Steven received the Excellence in Pro Bono Service Award from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.