| The federal whistleblower law exists to protect | | | | people are calling for specific protections for offshore |
| employees when they "blow the whistle" on their | | | | drillers. Charles Melancon, a Louisiana Representative, |
| employer in instances where employer breaks the | | | | is one such man leading the charge. Rep. Melancon |
| law or violate employees' inherent rights. Recent | | | | feels that the Gulf Coast region "might not be going |
| incidents across the United States have begged | | | | through this traumatic episode'' if the offshore drilling |
| many to question if the current laws offer sufficient | | | | workers knew they would be protected federally. |
| protection for whistleblowers. In fact, there have | | | | Consulting with a Louisiana Jones Act Attorney, he |
| been several proposals that look to either strengthen | | | | explained that while the Jones Act affords some |
| or better define protections for whistleblowers in the | | | | protection to seaman, many workers feel that they |
| US. | | | | will be blackballed by the industry if they bring suit |
| Foremost, lets go back at examine the history of US | | | | against their employer. A Maritime Attorney |
| Federal Whistleblower protection laws. The Lloyd-La | | | | summarized the workers' concerns a different way, |
| Follette Act of 1912 guaranteed federal employees | | | | saying that these workers are afraid of the |
| the right to provide information to Congress, and | | | | consequences of seeking damages when they are |
| was the first US law passed to specifically protect | | | | injured on the job, imagine the kind of consequences |
| whistleblowers. Many years later, several | | | | they fear from blowing the whistle. |
| environmental laws were passed that included | | | | The tragic passing of eleven valiant employees on |
| whistleblower protection, they were: the Clean Water | | | | board the Deepwater Horizon begs the question: is it |
| Act (1972), Safe Drinking Water Act (1974), Solid | | | | now time to demand federal whistleblower protection |
| Waste Disposal Act (1976), Toxic Substances Control | | | | for offshore workers? "We need to hold these |
| Act (1976), Energy Reorganization Act (1978), the | | | | companies accountable,'' Melancon said in a public |
| Superfund Law (1980), and the Clean Air Act (1990). | | | | statement. While many Gulf Coast residents hope |
| Several more employee-centric protection acts soon | | | | that BP is held accountable through lawsuits brought |
| followed, including: the Surface Transportation | | | | on by Louisiana Jones Act Attorneys on behalf of |
| Assistance Act (1982), the Pipeline Safety | | | | the victims of this awful tragedy, almost everyone |
| Improvement Act (2002), AIR 21 (2002). The big | | | | agrees that this event should have been prevented |
| chief of whistleblower laws was passed in 2002, the | | | | in the first place. |
| Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which afforded protection to | | | | Perhaps the BP disaster, and the resulting public |
| corporate whistleblowers. | | | | fallout will finally bring the sweeping change that the |
| The above may seem like both an extensive and | | | | public now feels is necessary to protect us from the |
| compressive list, but many feel that the protections | | | | corporations that have such a drastic impact on our |
| afforded by these laws are simply not adequate. In | | | | lives. Only time will tell. |
| the wake of the tragedy of BP's oil leak, many | | | | |