53 Pa. Stat. § 4000.1714

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-95

Section 4000.1714 - Whistleblower provisions

(a)Adverse action prohibited.--No employer may discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate or retaliate against an employee regarding the employee's compensation, terms, conditions, location or privileges of employment because the employee makes a good faith report or is about to report, verbally or in writing, to the employer or appropriate authority an instance of waste or wrongdoing under this act.

(b)Remedies.--The remedies, penalties and enforcement procedures for violations of this section shall be as provided in the act of December 12, 1986 (P.L. 1559, No. 169), known as the Whistleblower Law.

(c)Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Appropriate authority." A Federal, State or local government body, agency or organization having jurisdiction over criminal law enforcement, regulatory violations, professional conduct or ethics, or waste; or a member, officer, agent, representative or supervisory employee of the body, agency or organization. The term includes, but is not limited to, the Office of Attorney General, the Department of the Auditor General, the Treasury Department, the General Assembly and committees of the General Assembly having the power and duty to investigate criminal law enforcement, regulatory violations, professional conduct or ethics, or waste.

"Employee." A person who performs a service for wages or other remuneration under a contract of hire, written or oral, express or implied, for an employer, whether or not the employer is a public body.

"Employer." A person supervising one or more employees, including the employee in question; a superior of that supervisor; or an agent of a public body.

"Good faith report." A report of conduct defined in this act as wrongdoing or waste which is made without malice or consideration of personal benefit and which the person making the report has reasonable cause to believe is true.

"Public body." All of the following:

(1) A State officer, agency, department, division, bureau, board, commission, council, authority or other body in the executive branch of State government.

(2) A county, city, township, regional governing body, council, school district, special district or municipal corporation, or a board, department, commission, council or agency.

(3) Any other body which is created by Commonwealth or political subdivision authority or which is funded in any amount by or through Commonwealth or political subdivision authority or a member or employee of that body.

"Waste." An employer's conduct or omissions which result in substantial abuse, misuse, destruction or loss of funds or resources belonging to or derived from Commonwealth or political subdivision sources.

"Whistleblower." A person who witnesses or has evidence of wrongdoing or waste while employed and who makes a good faith report of the wrongdoing or waste, verbally or in writing, to one of the person's superiors, to an agent of the employer or to an appropriate authority.

"Wrongdoing." A violation which is not of a merely technical or minimal nature of a Federal or State statute or regulation, of a political subdivision ordinance or regulation or of a code of conduct or ethics designed to protect the interest of the public or the employer.

53 P.S. § 4000.1714

1988, July 28, P.L. 556, No. 101, § 1714, effective in 60 days.