Whistleblowers may be facing less legal protection in discrimination suits
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Whistleblowers may be facing less legal protection in discrimination suits

Date: February 11, 2013
By: Katie Kreider
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
Missouri business leaders are backing a bill that would hold whistleblowers more accountable.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Despite the governor's veto last year, lawmakers are still looking to restrict the rights of whistleblowers.

Lawmakers heard testimony in opposition from Tina Trickey, a woman whose husband, Jim, faced a five-year-long age discrimination suit against his employer.

Actuality:  TRICKEY1.WAV
Run Time:  00:10
Description: "This is a bad law. They are both bad laws. It does not protect the employee of Missouri--it protects the corporations, but they don't need protection."

Trickey says the bill assumes that businesses will do the right thing to protect their employees.

Though, Trickey says, that that isn't necessarily true. 

Supporters say whistleblowers need to be held accountable to protect businesses.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Katie Kreider.

Intro: 
Despite the governor's veto last year, legislators are still looking to modify laws restricting discrimination in the workplace.
RunTime:  0:38
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The House heard testimony on a bill on Monday that would change the standard needed to win discrimination lawsuits.

The bill would make it more difficult for employees to prove they were discriminated against by employers.

Supporters say that current law makes it too difficult for employers to win these suits.

Attorney Jane Drummond says the financial risk of discrimination suits hurts business owners.

Actuality:  DRUMMON1.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "And that's where employers are getting squeezed and leveraged, because the bar is very low, but the risk is very, very high for employers."
 
Opponents say the law needs to protect individuals instead of businesses.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Katie Kreider.