What is whistleblower protection in California?
California's whistleblower law (Labor Code section 1102.5) is among the broadest in the nation. It protects employees who report — or refuse to participate in — conduct they reasonably believe violates a law, rule, or regulation. Crucially, you're protected whether you report internally to a supervisor or externally to a government agency.
Examples of protected whistleblowing
- Reporting fraud, false billing, or financial misconduct
- Reporting safety or health violations that put workers or the public at risk
- Reporting that your employer submitted false information to a government agency
- Refusing to participate in conduct you reasonably believe is illegal
- Cooperating with a government investigation or audit
You don't have to be right — only reasonable
You're protected as long as you had a reasonable, good-faith belief that the conduct was unlawful. You don't have to prove the underlying violation actually happened to bring a retaliation claim. Employers rarely admit the real reason for firing a whistleblower, so the evidence — timing, shifting explanations, and inconsistent treatment — does the talking.
What you can recover
A successful whistleblower claim can include lost wages and benefits, emotional-distress damages, civil penalties, punitive damages for egregious conduct, and your attorney's fees and costs.
How I handle your case — at no cost to you
I take whistleblower cases on contingency and with discretion. You pay nothing up front and nothing out of pocket, and you'll work directly with me — in English or Spanish. If there's no recovery, you owe me nothing.