Interest Groups Weigh in On Significant Whistleblower New Jersey Supreme Court Case

New Jersey’s whistleblower statute, the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (“CEPA”), N.J.S.A. 34:19-1, is frequently referred to as one of the most expansive whistleblower statutes in the country. Currently before the New Jersey Supreme Court is the case of Lippman v. Ethicon, Inc., No. A-65/66-13 (cert. granted Mar. 14, 2014), which will have a significant impact on CEPA’s scope, and employee and employer interest groups are weighing in. Most recently, several labor and environmental organizations hosted a joint conference call to discuss their amicus brief advocating that the Supreme Court use Lippman to expand CEPA to permit claims by “watchdog” employees—those employees for whom whistleblowing could be considered part of their job duties. Oral argument on this case is set before the New Jersey Supreme Court for after September 2014. We will continue to monitor developments in this case.

 

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