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New Initiative Aims to Raise Whistleblower Retaliation Awareness

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new initiative launching next week to raise awareness about employer retaliation when workers exercise their protected labor rights.

The initiative is a joint effort between the DOL, the National Labor Relations Board, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It will include collaboration among these civil law enforcement agencies to protect workers on issues of unlawful retaliatory conduct. The initiative also will educate the public on retaliation against workers and engage with employers, business organizations, labor organizations and civil rights groups in the coming year.

A virtual dialogue on November 17 will launch the initiative. Targeted to the employer community, the dialogue will focus on the importance of workers’ anti-retaliation protections and the agencies’ shared commitment to vigorous enforcement of these protections.

“The enforcement of labor laws only works when workers who speak out for themselves and their fellow workers do not fear or suffer from retaliation,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda. “In the U.S. Department of Labor’s fight against wage theft, misclassification, discrimination, unsafe or unhealthy workplaces, and other unlawful employment practices, we will use all tools available to protect workers from retaliation. This collaboration among federal labor enforcement agencies will form a bulwark against unlawful retaliation.”