Amendment to energy bill helps protect whisteblowers

Single Sign-On: You can use Facebook account to log in to LasVegasSun.com. (We will use your first and last name from your profile.)
Trusted Commenting: Facebook connected users automatically become trusted commenters.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 | 9:38 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- Energy Department workers who expose wrongdoing have another layer of protection based on an amendment included in the energy bill that passed the Senate today.

If an employee files a complaint with the Labor Department and it does not act within 180 days, the employee can take the issue to federal court.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., added the amendment to the energy bill to protect whistleblowers. The senators had introduced a stand-alone bill during the last Congress to provide the court option to Energy Department and Nuclear Regulator Commission employees, but their amendment only applies to Energy Department employees, according to a copy released by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Monday.