High court broadens whistleblower protections

The Supreme Court extended whistleblower protections to subcontractors as well as the employees of publicly traded companies. The protections were passed in 2002 in response to the Enron financial scandal, when employees claimed they faced retaliation for exposing the energy trading company’s misdeeds. This week, the justices voted 6–3 in favor of extending those protections to two private contractors working for Fidelity Investments. The head of the National Whistleblowers Center said the court had “closed a potentially devastating loophole,” but the three dissenting justices warned the ruling could have a “stunning reach,” and allow even babysitters to pursue frivolous litigation.

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