HF 1531

as introduced - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 01:52am

A bill for an act
relating to state government; providing additional whistleblower protection
to state employees; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 181.932,
subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 181.932, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Prohibited action.

An employer shall not discharge, discipline,
threaten, otherwise discriminate against, or penalize an employee regarding the employee's
compensation, terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because:

(1) the employee, or a person acting on behalf of an employee, in good faith, reports
a violation or suspected violation of any federal or state law or rule adopted pursuant to
law to an employer or to any governmental body or law enforcement official;

(2) the employee is requested by a public body or office to participate in an
investigation, hearing, inquiry;

(3) the employee refuses an employer's order to perform an action that the employee
has an objective basis in fact to believe violates any state or federal law or rule or
regulation adopted pursuant to law, and the employee informs the employer that the order
is being refused for that reason;

(4) the employee, in good faith, reports a situation in which the quality of health care
services provided by a health care facility, organization, or health care provider violates a
standard established by federal or state law or a professionally recognized national clinical
or ethical standard and potentially places the public at risk of harm; deleted text begin or
deleted text end

(5) a public employee communicates the findings of a scientific or technical study
that the employee, in good faith, believes to be truthful and accurate, including reports
to a governmental body or law enforcement official deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; or
new text end

new text begin (6) an employee in the classified service of state government communicates
information that the employee, in good faith, believes to be truthful and accurate, and that
relates to state services, including the financing of state services to:
new text end

new text begin (i) a legislator or an employee in the legislative branch; or
new text end

new text begin (ii) an elected official in the executive branch.
new text end

The disclosures protected pursuant to this section do not authorize the disclosure of data
otherwise protected by law.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end