New Jersey Offers Whistleblower Protections to Watchdog Employees

Workers whose job is to monitor whether their employer complies with standards and regulations are not barred from whistleblower protections under a state law designed to prevent retaliation against employees who speak out, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. 

 

Advocates hailed the decision as a major victory for workers' rights, though business leaders feared it will open companies across New Jersey to more lawsuits.

 

New Jersey's highest court voted 5-0 in favor of Joel Lippman, who claimed he was fired from Ethicon, a subsidiary of New Brunswick-based Johnson & Johnson, in 2006 in retaliation for raising concerns about the safety of some products. Ethicon, which is based in Somerville, manufactures surgical devices.