Telling Somebody At Work

A Minnesota employer may not discharge, discipline, penalize, threaten or otherwise retaliate against an employee in pay, terms, location or privileges of employment because of any of the following.

• §Minn. Stat. 181.932

• The employee, or someone on the employee's behalf, in good faith reports a violation, suspected violation or planned violation of federal or state law, common law, or a rule adopted under law, to the employer, a governmental body or a law enforcement official.
• A public body asks the employee to take part in an investigation, hearing or inquiry.
• The employee refuses an order the employee has an objective basis in fact to believe is unlawful, and tells the employer that is why.
• The employee in good faith reports health care that violates a legal or professionally recognized standard and potentially places the public at risk.

• §Minn. Stat. 181.932

Remedies. An injured employee may bring a civil action for any and all damages recoverable at law, with costs and reasonable attorney's fees, and injunctive and other equitable relief, including reinstatement, back pay, restored service credit, compensatory damages and expungement of adverse records.

• §Minn. Stat. 181.935

Federal statutes protect reports in particular fields, such as workplace safety, securities and federal contracts, with their own agencies and deadlines, and are not on this page. Whether a particular report was protected, and whether what followed was retaliation for it, are questions for a licensed Minnesota attorney.

• §Minn. Stat. 181.932
• §Minn. Stat. 181.935