Albany, NY — Laws signed into regulation by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Oct. 28 expands whistleblower protections for the state’s private-sector employees.
The regulation offers these employees with the “same whistleblower protections available to public employees,” Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights), sponsor of S. 4394A, mentioned in a press launch. A companion invoice within the New York State Meeting, A. 5144A, was sponsored by Assemblymember Michael Benedetto (D-Bronx).
The regulation provides protections for former employees as effectively. It additionally expands the definition of “retaliatory action” to incorporate threats or actions that “would adversely impact a former employee’s current or future employment and contacting or threats to contact immigration authorities.”
Moreover, employees are protected no matter whether or not they had been “acting within the scope of their job duties.” Staff solely need to show “that they reasonably believe there is a violation of the law.” Beforehand, to be protected, employees needed to present an precise violation of the regulation “that created or presented a substantial and specific danger.”
Hochul provides within the launch: “If we’ve learned anything from the (COVID-19) pandemic, it’s that protecting workers must be part of our overall economic recovery efforts. This legislation ensures that employees can speak out on dangerous or illegal business practices that endanger their health and well-being. No worker should have to endure poor working conditions.”