Whistleblower Litigation: Limitations on the Employment-at-Will Doctrine

This chapter surveys whistleblower litigation, which is an increasingly significant limitation to the employment-at-will doctrine, under which an employer can otherwise fire an employee for any reason, or no reason. The issues covered are: (1) state common-law tort claims based on wrongful discharge in violation of public policy; (2) federal whistleblower statutes; and (3) state whistleblower statutes. Whistleblower litigation is even more prominent in recent years, given the heightened publicity relating to corporate and environmental whistleblowers.