Andrew Powell
Legislation that aimed to establish employee protection for those who lodge formal complaints against employers to the Commission on Ethics was not even put up for consideration this Regular Session.
Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz sponsored a measure (SB 352) that aimed to safeguard employees who disclosed certain information to the Commission.
Naples Republican Rep. Yvette Benarroch filed the House companion bill (HB 495). But neither bill was ever presented or heard by any of their assigned committees.
In a memorandum of legislative recommendations for the 2025 Regular Session published by the Commission in November 2024, protections for whistleblowers were a top priority.
“The Commission believes that the threat of adverse employment or personnel actions in retaliation for a person’s filing of an ethics complaint discourages the filing of valid complaints,” the Commission memo states. “Thus, the Commission seeks the enactment of protections or remedies, akin to those in the ‘Whistle-blowers Act’ … for the benefit of ethics complaints.”
Under the measure, agencies and independent contractors would have been prohibited from dismissing, disciplining or taking adverse personnel actions against employees who reported violations or suspected violations.
This includes breaches of ethics standards, public trust violations and specific state statutes.
Information disclosed to the Commission would have been required to outline any violations or suspected violations of certain standards, including violations of the Florida Constitution or any specific Florida statute provisions.
The bill defined an agency as any state, regional, county, local or municipal governmental entity, whether executive, judicial or legislative.
It included officials, officers, departments, divisions, bureaus, commissions, authorities, political subdivisions, public school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities.
Hearings would have been conducted by an impartial panel appointed by the appropriate local governmental authority. The panel would have been required to make a final decision based on findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Employees who faced retaliation would have been able to file complaints, seek administrative remedies or pursue a civil action against an employer within 180 days of the final decision made by the panel if it does not establish an administrative procedure.
Relief would have included back pay, restoration of benefits, compensation for damages and the reimbursement of legal costs.
8 comments
S. Tooley
May 9, 2025 at 2:37 pm
Mollycoddling stool pigeons was not a top priority this year.
Bernadette Aiken
May 9, 2025 at 6:10 pm
My friend recommended to me and I’ve gotten 2 checks for a total of $9,200…this is the best decision I made in a long time! This extra cash has changed my life in so many ways, thank you…
Go ON my ProFILE
TJC
May 11, 2025 at 10:14 am
Stool pigeons? Well, if you know something illegal is going on where you work but prefer to bend over and take whatever your boss wants to give you, that’s your choice.
Jim
May 10, 2025 at 10:20 am
Maybe there should be a law to remove the government protection from the wrath of incompetent and vengeful government employees.
EARL PITTS "Legislative Expert" AMERICAN
May 11, 2025 at 8:01 am
Good call, Jim,
My, EARL PITTS AMERICAN’s, experience with “Whistle Blowers” is that 99.999% of them are as you described, “incompetent and vengeful government employees”.
I’m sure that Pensacola Republican Sen. Don Gaetz is aware of this and I, EARL PITTS AMERICAN, will call Don and straighten him out so he does not continue in this “Wrong-Headed” direction. Don is much loved, but is getting a little up there in his years, but still a “Sage Patriot”. I will keep an eye on him so he does not embarrase himself by trying to bring the subject up again.
Thanks again, Jimbo, I Got This,
EARL PITTS ” Legislative Expert” AMERICAN
TJC
May 11, 2025 at 10:17 am
Maybe there should be a law to remove protection from bosses who are breaking the law on the job. If the employees are “incompetent and vengeful,” and their claims are baseless, they can be dismissed along with their allegations.
Earl Pitts American
May 12, 2025 at 6:58 am
Good Morn ‘Ting, TJC,
I, Earl Pitts American, am sorry to be the one to break the truth to ypu, TJC, but your thoughts and words are not in line with the thoughts and words of Sage Patriots, such as myself, Earl Pitts American, and 87.236% of “We, The American People”.
Please check yourself in the mirror, TJC, and I, Earl Pitts American, gurrantee that you will see “DOOK 4 BRAINS LEFTISM” written all over your face.
Be full of Shame, TJC,
Earl Pitts American
TJC
May 12, 2025 at 8:21 am
Well, if you know something illegal is going on where you work but prefer to bend over and take whatever your boss wants to give you, that’s your choice.
Oh! Deja vu.