News

Summary Judgment Awarded in Private Whistleblower Action

November 19, 2015

Partner Jason Taylor in the firm’s Tallahassee office obtained an order granting final summary judgment in favor of a national corporate client in a case involving alleged violations of Florida’s Private and Public Whistleblower Acts. Plaintiff alleged her former employer terminated her 2.5 months after she complained that the manager for her local office was mishandling company funds, treating other employees poorly, and did not keep the manager’s work area clean. Plaintiff abandoned her Public Whistleblower Act claim in response to the defense summary judgment motion. After initial briefing was complete, Judge Robert Hinkle (N.D.  Fla.) ruled the claims of employee treatment and cleanliness were insufficient on which to base a Private Whistleblower Act claim. Following additional briefing, Judge Hinkle concluded the alleged mishandling of company funds was not attributable to the corporation, only to the manager, and entered final summary judgment in our client’s favor.

  Jason C. Taylor, Partner
  jtaylor@mcconnaughhay.com
  (850) 222-8121