NJ public worker whistleblower protection bill advancing

Public employees in New Jersey would be given the same whistleblower protections as those in the corporate world under a bill sponsored by state Senate Democratic Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck).

Under current law, a whistleblower is protected from retaliation when they report actions they deem to be a criminal. Weinberg's measure would extend whistleblower protections when employer actions aren't criminal, but do amount to waste and abuse.

"We want to make sure that whistleblower protection is extended to public employees," Weinberg said. "Among many other things that the Select Committee on Investigation (SCI), commonly called the Bridgegate Committee, saw in subpoenaed testimony from Port Authority folks was that there were some public employees who were really afraid of losing their jobs if they went and expressed concerns about the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge."

The legislation would expand the protections under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) to protect workers from retaliation after disclosing any waste of public funds or incidents of governmental abuse or mismanagement.

"When it comes to waste or abuse of taxpayer funds it's very often the public employee who is the first line person who might even notice it or know it," Weinberg explained. "The Bridgegate hearings already opened a window into employees feeling that they can't come and tell the truth."

Weinberg is co-chair of the SCI. There are those who oppose her whistleblower bill. Jon Moran, senior legislative analyst with the New Jersey League of Municipalities, is one of them.

"We fear that the language offered here as an amendment to the Conscientious Employee Protection Act is so broad that it's going to invite increased litigation that will impose new costs on property taxpayers," Moran said.

The bill was approved by the Senate Labor Committee on Oct. 9 and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.