Whistleblowers are protected under law from employer retaliation
. In some cases punishment for whistleblowing occurs. Punishment can include termination, suspension, demotion, wage garnishment, or harsh mistreatment. Typically, this only happens if the accusation that the whistleblower made was false and attracted a wide variety of media in an unfavorable light for the corporation. A person can serve up to six years in jail if there is a false accusation against an organization. All states vary in the amount of protection a person gets for whistleblowing. The first law created to protect whistleblowers was Lloyd-La Follette Act. There are also deadlines in which whistleblowers must report their information, usually a certain number of days after the incident occurred. Another form of a whistleblower can come from the military and they are protected by The Military Whistleblower Protection Act. This actprotects the right of members of the armed services to communicate with any member of Congress. It is wise to make sure that any accusation you make against a company or organization is one that it is completely true and that you have evidence to prove it. Whistleblowers are protected more today than they ever have been.