Another Victory for Whistleblowers: Federal Appeals Court Rules that Internal Reporting Triggers Protetions

In another significant victory for the SEC and for whistleblowers, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a lower court and ruled that whistleblowers who report potential wrongdoing to their company prior to reporting to the SEC are entitled to the robust employment protections established under Dodd-Frank. As we discussed in an earlier post, the SEC issued guidance in August to clarify that Dodd-Frank anti-retaliation provisions apply equally to those whistleblowers who report potential violations internally. Given that at least one other court has ruled in an opposing way, the issue might be on its way to the Supreme Court for review.

In the meantime, this more expansive view of whistleblower protections not only empowers corporate whistleblowers, it also serves as an important reminder that companies must develop and encourage internal policies and procedures for the reporting of misconduct. For several years, we have examined the growing ethical crisis in corporate America and the crucial role truthtellers must play if we wish to reverse the prevalence of win-at-any-cost corporate cultures. With enhanced protections for whistleblowers, companies must shift their focus from silencing and retaliating against whistleblowers to establishing compliance programs that more effectively detect, deter and mitigate wrongdoing.

Deciding when, if and how to blow the whistle is an extraordinarily complex decision. Please see this short video for some of the key issues to consider. And, for more information on the specific employment protections offered by the SEC Whistleblower Program, please see here.