Many different federal laws protect employees who complain, testify, or otherwise oppose unlawful or unsafe activities in the workplace. Some of these laws include, the:

• Occupational Safety & Health Act
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• Surface Transportation Assistance Act
• Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act
• International Safety Container Act of 1974
• Energy Reorganization Act of 1974
• Clean Air Act
• Safe Drinking Water Act
• Federal Water Pollution Control Act
• Toxic Substances Control Act
• Solid Waste Disposal Act
• Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act
• Pipeline Safety Improvement Act

Maine has enacted its own Whistleblower Protection Act which provides additional protection to employees. If you believe that you may have been unlawfully terminated, it is essential that you contact an attorney immediately (if you are considering legal action). This is because many of the federal laws that protect you require the initiation of legal/administrative proceedings within 30 to 180 days, depending on the statute at issue.