This New Jersey Supreme Court’s decision in the whistleblower case Lippman v. Ethicon raises serious concerns for some employers. NJCJI President Marcus Rayner explained in several news articles how framing internal, debate-based decision-making as whistleblowing that is actionable under CEPA changes the workplace dynamic.

 

State’s Top Court Rules Whistleblower Law Extends to Watchdog Employees

Tom Johnson | NJ Spotlight

The New Jersey Supreme Court yesterday widened the state’s whistleblower law, ruling that employees whose jobs entail identifying health and safety risks are entitled to protection under the statute.

Full story.

 

NJ Supreme Court Affirms Whistleblower Protections

Phil Gregory | WBGO News

New Jersey’s Supreme Court has rejected a company’s claim that so-called “watchdog employees” must act outside the scope of their regular job duties to be protected by the state’s whistleblower law.

Full story.

 

NJ Expands Employer Liability In Ethicon Whistleblower Case

Martin Bricketto | Law360

A New Jersey Supreme Court decision Wednesday that so-called watchdog employees are covered under the state’s whistleblower law could stifle employers’ ability to take action against compliance personnel for legitimate business reasons without opening a door to litigation, some attorneys say.

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Justices: Whistleblower Law Protects ‘Watchdog Employees’

David Gialanella | New Jersey Law Journal

The New Jersey Supreme Court has laid to rest the notion that the state law protecting whistleblowers doesn’t apply to an employee whose essential function is to act as one.

Full story.