Court Mulls Whistleblower Protection for 'Watchdog Employees'

In a case being closely monitored by the business community, the New Jersey Supreme Court is considering whether so-called "watchdog employees" can be protected by the state's whistleblower law if they are fired for, in essence, doing their jobs.

January 20, 2015 at 12:09 PM

6 minute read

By Michael Booth
bureau chief

In a case being closely monitored by the business community, the New Jersey Supreme Court is considering whether so-called “watchdog employees” can be protected by the state's whistleblower law if they are fired for, in essence, doing their jobs.

The court heard arguments Jan. 20 in a case in which a former executive of a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary alleges he was fired for opposing the release or demanding the recall of products he believed posed a danger to the public.

In Lippman v. Ethicon, the court is being asked to determine whether watchdog employees, who are responsible for monitoring and reporting on their employers' compliance with laws, rules and regulations, can sue under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) if they are fired.

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