Texas Whistleblower Claims

In the state of Texas, it is illegal for public employers to retaliate against public employees who, in good faith, report legal violations that are committed by either other public employees or their employer. That means that if you were suspended, terminated, or subjected to any other adverse employment action as any form of retaliation, you are protected under the Texas Whistleblower Act and are entitled to pursue legal action against your employer.

If you would like to speak with an attorney about filing a Texas Whistleblower Claim, the Austin employment attorneys at The Melton Law Firm are ready to help. Once we know more about your case, our attorneys can help you understand your rights and what legal action you may be able to pursue against your employer. As discussed later, these claims can be used to reverse any of the adverse employment actions that your employer has taken against you.

Reporting Violations in Good Faith to an Appropriate Government Official

In order to be protected by the Texas Whistleblower Act, a public employee must have reported a violation of the law in good faith, which essentially means that you acted with honest intent. As part of that, you must have both a subjective and objective basis for your belief that a law has been violated. In addition, you must make your report to an appropriate government official or authority, including local, state, and federal government. Moreover, the party to which you filed the report must have possessed the authority to enforce, investigate, and prosecute the violation to criminal law.

Pursuing a Claim Under the Texas Whistleblower Act

Though you will have 90 days to file your claim against your employer – starting on the date that you were wrongfully suspended, terminated, or subjected to any form adverse personnel action – it will be in your best interests to reach out to a lawyer as early after the incident as you are able. Public employees who have been retaliated against are entitled to file suit in order to achieve the following:

• Injunctive relief from your employer’s actions
• Actual damages sustained because of your employer’s actions
• Court costs to cover administrative fees
• Reasonable attorneys’ fees

Beyond this, public employees who were suspended or terminated in response to reporting any violation to the law may also sue for the following:

• Reinstatement of former position or an equivalent position
• Wages you lost while you were suspended or terminated
• Reinstatement of fringe benefits and seniority rights

As overwhelming as the coming legal process may seem, our legal team will be there to help you work through each and every aspect of your case. That being said, when everything’s said and done, we may be able to help you reclaim what your employer has wrongfully taken from you.

Consult with a Whistleblower Attorney in Austin

If you are a public employee who, in good faith, reported a violation of the law committed by another employee or your employer, you are protected from retaliatory action under the Texas Whistleblower Act. Our attorneys can help you take legal action against your employer if you were subsequently suspended, terminated, or adversely affected at work in any number of other ways for the report you file. To speak with a whistleblower claim attorney in Austin about the particulars of your case, please call our offices at (512) 330-0017 today.