The United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee recently emphasized the limited scope of what constitutes protected activity under the Dodd-Frank Act’s (the Act) whistleblower protection provision, noting that the Act protects only “certain kinds of whistleblowers who report certain kinds of violations.” Boyle v. Evolve Bank & Trust et al, No. 16-02171, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 111964 (W.D. Tenn. July 19, 2017).
Jury Rejects Whistleblower Claim By Former SpaceX Employee
On June 7, 2017, a California jury returned a 9-3 verdict, dismissing whistleblower claims brought by a former Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (“SpaceX”) employee. Jason Blasdell v. Space Exploration Technologies Corp. et al., Case No. BC 615112 (Cal. Super., LA County).
Jason Blasdell, who was employed as an Avionics
ACA Retaliation Claim Survives Despite No Complaint About ACA Provisions
On April 28, 2017, the United States Department of Labor Administrative Review Board (“ARB”) allowed a whistleblower retaliation claim under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) to proceed even though the purported protected activity alleged in the complaint made no reference to ACA provisions. The case is Gallas v. The Medical Center of Aurora, DOL Administrative Review Board Nos. 16-012, 15-076, ALJ Nos. 2015-ACA-5, 2015-SOX-13 (ARB Apr. 28, 2017).
ARB Rules That Secret Recording of Workplace Conversations Can Be Protected Whistleblowing Activity
On September 28, 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor Administrative Review Board (“ARB”) held that the recording of workplace conversations can be protected whistleblower activity under the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 (“ERA”). Franchini v. Argonne National Laboratory, ARB Case No. 13-081 (Sep. 28, 2015).