Whistle Blower Protections "Expanded"

California employees who "blow the whistle" are protected from retaliation by Labor Code § 1102.5(b) which provides that "an employer may not retaliate against an employee for disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of state or federal statute, or a violation or noncompliance with a state or federal rule or regulation.”  The California Court of Appeal just held that this section “protects employee reports of unlawful activity by third parties such as contractors and employees, as well [as] unlawful activity by an employer.”