Florida Supreme Court Backs 2 Utilities in Whistleblower Retaliation Case

1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg Law · May 29

Florida’s highest court upheld summary judgment for Gulf Power Company and Southern Company, rejecting a welder mechanic’s retaliation claim under the state’s private-sector whistle-blower law.
The court said an employee must prove the employer’s conduct actually violated a law, not merely that the employee held a good-faith belief it was illegal.
The ruling found the plaintiff failed to show his workplace safety objections pointed to conduct that met that legal-violation standard.
That decision narrows the path for private-sector whistleblower claims in Florida by tying protection to proof of an underlying legal breach.

Sources

Beyond this legal win, is a pattern of litigation revealing a deeper crisis at Southern Company?

As utility giants win in court, are Florida consumers paying the price on their power bills?

How can Florida employees blow the whistle when they must first prove an actual legal violation?