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Whistleblowers Gain Landmark Protections in Food Safety Act |
Washington, D.C. December 21, 2010. Today, the House approved the Senate version of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (H.R. 2571), which contains strong whistleblower protections for food safety employees. This landmark legislation has now cleared Congress and will soon be signed into law by President Obama.
Highlights of the Food Safety Whistleblower Provision:
- Covers all employers "engaged in the manufacture, processing,
packing, transportation, distribution, reception, holding or importation
of food;"
- Allows workers have their case heard before a jury in federal court;
- Provides for reinstatement, back pay and compensatory damages.
"When workers see rats in the food, they must be able to sound the
alarm," said NWC Executive Director Stephen M. Kohn. "Employees who
blow the whistle on food contamination will finally obtain protection,"
Kohn added.
Mr. Kohn stated, "Today Congress closed a terrible
loophole in whistleblower protection laws. This should serve as an
example for legislative action needed to protect other workers who still
fall outside the safety net, including those who work in the offshore
oil drilling industry. We urge all Americans to sign
the petition asking Congress to pass a national whistleblower
protection law."
Links:
Whistleblower
Provision of the Food Safety Act
Petition
for National Whistleblower Protection Law
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