Oregon to consider whistleblower protections in response to Statesman Journal report

Senate Republican Leader Jackie Winters has introduced a bill to expand whistleblower protections in Oregon.

The Salem lawmaker said she was moved to draft the legislation after reading a November story in the Statesman Journal about former Oregon Department of Transportation employee Gerritt Law.

Law, a technician in the Motor Carrier Division, repeatedly informed his superiors about problems he found after taking the job in 2013. He ended up getting fired.

Among his concerns: Employees lacked safety training and were asked to work in dangerous conditions. Equipment costing thousands of dollars was purchased without compatibility testing, and later found to not work. Contracts were being split so the dollar amounts stayed below open-bidding requirements. And contractors were overbilling for work.

Read more: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/politics/2018/01/25/oregon-consider-whistleblower-protections-response-statesman-journal-report-odot-jackie-winters/1066432001/