The Assembly Judiciary Committee on June 20 passed legislation by Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) to improve protections for whistleblowers so they can keep their jobs while retaliation complaints against their employers are being investigated.

SB 306 allows the state labor commissioner to seek an immediate and temporary injunction when workers face retaliation for reporting violations by their employers or co-workers, instead of waiting until an investigation is complete. Retaliation against employees under those circumstances is illegal, but it currently takes the state months and sometimes years to investigate retaliation complaints.

The committee approved the bill by a 6-1 vote, and it goes next to the Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment for consideration. SB 306 has already passed the Senate.

“This bill makes sure whistleblowers get the prompt protection they deserve,” Hertzberg said. “Whistleblowers must be protected, so they are free to tell the truth if and when employers break the law, mistreat employees or endanger the public.”

The bill is also supported by multiple unions and trade associations.

“Everyone loses when whistleblowers are retaliated against for reporting illegal activity,” said Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation. “The worker is usually without a job, co-workers are afraid to speak up and honest employers face a competitive disadvantage. Our laws guaranteeing minimum wage, overtime, health and safety protections and others are too important to ignore. SB 306 allows for much faster relief in these cases and stops blatant retaliation in its tracks.”