Whistleblower Act goes into effect today

May 19, 2010

The New Mexico Whistleblower Protection Act, which safeguards government employees who report illegal or improper actions from retaliation by supervisors, goes into effect today.

The law was passed by the state legislature earlier this year.

According to the New Mexico Municipal League, the act prohibits a public employer from taking any retaliatory action against a public employee because the employee:

• communicates to the public employer or a third party information about an action or a failure to act that the public employee believes in good faith constitutes an unlawful or improper act;
• provides information to, or testifies before, a public body as part of an investigation, hearing or inquiry into an unlawful or improper act; or
• objects to or refuses to participate in an activity, policy or practice that constitutes an unlawful act or improper act.

The act covers “any political subdivision of the state,” which includes municipalities like the City of Belen.

Posted in: Reform