Whistle Blower Protection

If you are a Chicago State University employee, and you . . .

• Disclose or threaten to disclose to your supervisor or any public body an act or omission that you reasonably believe to be a violation of law, rule or regulation by another State employee, or
• Provide information to or testify before any public body conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into a violation of law, rule, or regulation, or
• Assist or participate in a proceeding to enforce the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act,

Then the University cannot take retaliatory action such as . . .

• Reprimand, discharge, suspension, demotion or denial of promotion or transfer, or change the terms or conditions of employment of any State employee that occurs in retaliation for an employee’s exercise of any one of the three protected activities, above. Nor may the employer, within or without the workplace, take action materially adverse to a reasonable employee in retaliation for engaging in a protected activity. Further, the employer may not threaten any employee with any act or omission if that act or omission would constitute retaliation against the employee under the Ethics Act.

If a Court determines that retaliation occurred, remedies may include...

• Employee shall be made whole;
• Reinstatement;
• Two times back pay;
• Interest on back pay; and/or
• Payment of reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees.

To report fraud, waste, abuse or misconduct by CSU employees or those doing business with the University, please contact the CSU Ethics Officer, Robin M. Hawkins, Esq. at EthicsOffice@csu.edu or call the Office of Executive Inspector General (OEIG) at 1-866-814-1113 (HOTLINE) or 888-261-2734 (TTY).

This notice is provided in compliance with the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, 5 ILCS 430/15-5 et. seq.