I am pleased to share a Whistleblower Flyer for Low-Income Workers’ Clinics. This flyer can help volunteers at pro bono and workers’ rights clinics identify whistleblower claims. It also calls attention to some surprisingly short deadlines. Did you know that environmental and workplace health and safety whistleblowers have only thrity (30) days to file a complaint with OSHA?
Kim Bobo of Interfaith Worker Justice suggested that I prepare this flyer when we met at this year’s convention of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). She actually wanted a one-page flyer. It turns out that two pages are necessary to describe the variety of whistleblower claims that low-income workers might have, help volunteers identify and assess those claims, explain how to file the initial complaint, and list the advice that new whistleblowers need to know.
Some whistleblower protections are particularly suited to the issues facing low-income workers. For example, the vast majority of workers in the food industry are low-income. How else will they learn about the protection they have for raising food safety issues under the 2010 Food Safety Modernization Act? Transportation, wage and hour, health care and union organizing issues can also lead to worthy whistleblower cases.
This flyer benefited from helpful feedback from Laura Brown at the DC Employment Justice Center, and Tess Wilkes, of the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty. Thank you.
Please share this flyer with staff and volunteers at your local workers center or pro bono clinic.