Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§7a–3 Anti-retaliation protection for whistleblowers

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE › § 7a–3

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Employers must not fire, demote, suspend, threaten, harass, or otherwise punish someone because that person honestly reports possible antitrust crimes or other related criminal wrongdoing to the federal government, a supervisor, or someone at work who can look into or stop the bad conduct. Protections also cover helping or taking part in a federal investigation or court case about those matters. The protection does not apply if the worker planned or started the antitrust crime, a related criminal act, or tried to block a Justice Department investigation. You can file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor within 180 days of the bad act. If the Secretary has not decided within 180 days and the delay is not due to the complainant, you may go to federal district court for a new trial. The rules follow 49 U.S.C. 42121(b). If you win, you can get back your job with the same seniority, back pay with interest, and damages such as court costs, expert fees, and reasonable lawyer fees. A Secretary’s order can be enforced in court. Other federal, state, or union rights are not reduced by these protections. Definitions (one line each): antitrust laws = sections 1 or 3 of this title; covered individual = employee, contractor, subcontractor, or agent; employer = a person or that person’s officers, employees, contractors, subcontractors, or agents; Federal Government = a federal agency or a Member or committee of Congress; person = same meaning as in section 12(a) of this title. The word “violation” of the antitrust laws does not include civil-only violations that are not criminal.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §7a–3

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)No employer may discharge, demote, suspend, threaten, harass, or in any other manner discriminate against a covered individual in the terms and conditions of employment of the covered individual because of any lawful act done by the covered individual—

(A)to provide or cause to be provided to the Federal Government or a person with supervisory authority over the covered individual (or such other person working for the employer who has the authority to investigate, discover, or terminate misconduct) information relating to—

(i)any violation of, or any act or omission the covered individual reasonably believes to be a violation of, the antitrust laws; or

(ii)any violation of, or any act or omission the covered individual reasonably believes to be a violation of, another criminal law committed in conjunction with a potential violation of the antitrust laws or in conjunction with an investigation by the Department of Justice of a potential violation of the antitrust laws; or

(B)to cause to be filed, testify in, participate in, or otherwise assist a Federal Government investigation or a Federal Government proceeding filed or about to be filed (with any knowledge of the employer) relating to—

(i)any violation of, or any act or omission the covered individual reasonably believes to be a violation of, the antitrust laws; or

(2)Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any covered individual if—

(A)the covered individual planned and initiated a violation or attempted violation of the antitrust laws;

(B)the covered individual planned and initiated a violation or attempted violation of another criminal law in conjunction with a violation or attempted violation of the antitrust laws; or

(C)the covered individual planned and initiated an obstruction or attempted obstruction of an investigation by the Department of Justice of a violation of the antitrust laws.

(3)In this section:

(A)The term “antitrust laws” means section 1 or 3 of this title.

(B)The term “covered individual” means an employee, contractor, subcontractor, or agent of an employer.

(C)The term “employer” means a person, or any officer, employee, contractor, subcontractor, or agent of such person.

(D)The term “Federal Government” means—

(i)a Federal regulatory or law enforcement agency; or

(ii)any Member of Congress or committee of Congress.

(E)The term “person” has the same meaning as in subsection (a) of section 12 of this title.

(4)The term “violation”, with respect to the antitrust laws, shall not be construed to include a civil violation of any law that is not also a criminal violation.

(b)(1)A covered individual who alleges discharge or other discrimination by any employer in violation of subsection (a) may seek relief under subsection (c) by—

(A)filing a complaint with the Secretary of Labor; or

(B)if the Secretary of Labor has not issued a final decision within 180 days of the filing of the complaint and there is no showing that such delay is due to the bad faith of the claimant, bringing an action at law or equity for de novo review in the appropriate district court of the United States, which shall have jurisdiction over such an action without regard to the amount in controversy.

(2)(A)A complaint filed with the Secretary of Labor under paragraph (1)(A) shall be governed under the rules and procedures set forth in section 42121(b) of title 49.

(B)Notification made under section 42121(b)(1) of title 49 shall be made to any individual named in the complaint and to the employer.

(C)An action brought under paragraph (1)(B) shall be governed by the legal burdens of proof set forth in section 42121(b) of title 49.

(D)A complaint under paragraph (1)(A) shall be filed with the Secretary of Labor not later than 180 days after the date on which the violation occurs.

(E)If a person fails to comply with an order or preliminary order issued by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to the procedures set forth in section 42121(b) of title 49, the Secretary of Labor or the person on whose behalf the order was issued may bring a civil action to enforce the order in the district court of the United States for the judicial district in which the violation occurred.

(c)(1)A covered individual prevailing in any action under subsection (b)(1) shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make the covered individual whole.

(2)Relief for any action under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A)reinstatement with the same seniority status that the covered individual would have had, but for the discrimination;

(B)the amount of back pay, with interest; and

(C)compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination including litigation costs, expert witness fees, and reasonable attorney’s fees.

(d)Nothing in this section shall be deemed to diminish the rights, privileges, or remedies of any covered individual under any Federal or State law, or under any collective bargaining agreement.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 7a–3

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73