12 U.S.C. § 5567: Employee protection

Summary

Protects people who do work related to consumer financial products from being fired or treated badly for speaking up. It covers four kinds of protected actions: giving information to an employer or government, testifying in related proceedings, starting a legal action under federal consumer finance law, or refusing to take part in something the worker reasonably thinks breaks the law. A "covered employee" means anyone doing tasks tied to offering or providing a consumer financial product or service. If someone thinks they were punished for one of these actions, they must file a complaint with the Secretary of Labor within 180 days. The Secretary tells the accused person about the claim, the evidence, and how they can respond. Within 60 days the Secretary must start an investigation and decide if there is reasonable cause. If so, the Secretary can issue a preliminary order with relief. Either side has 30 days to object and ask for a hearing. The person bringing the complaint must first show some evidence that the protected action was a contributing factor in the bad job action. The employer can avoid liability only by clear and convincing proof that it would have acted the same way anyway. After any hearing, the Secretary must issue a final order within 120 days. Remedies can include stopping the violation, reinstatement with back pay, compensatory damages, and payment of costs and fees. If the Secretary does not act in 210 days after filing (or 90 days after a written determination), the worker may sue in federal court for a full new review. Workers cannot waive these rights in advance, and pre-dispute arbitration clauses cannot block claims here, except that arbitration in a collective bargaining agreement may apply to refusals to do illegal acts unless the Bureau says otherwise. A frivolous complaint can cost the complainant up to $1,000 in fees.

Title 12, §5567

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(a)In general

No covered person or service provider shall terminate or in any other way discriminate against, or cause to be terminated or discriminated against, any covered employee or any authorized representative of covered employees by reason of the fact that such employee or representative, whether at the initiative of the employee or in the ordinary course of the duties of the employee (or any person acting pursuant to a request of the employee), has—

(1)provided, caused to be provided, or is about to provide or cause to be provided, information to the employer, the Bureau, or any other State, local, or Federal, government authority or law enforcement agency relating to any violation of, or any act or omission that the employee reasonably believes to be a violation of, any provision of this title or any other provision of law that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Bureau, or any rule, order, standard, or prohibition prescribed by the Bureau;

(2)testified or will testify in any proceeding resulting from the administration or enforcement of any provision of this title 1 or any other provision of law that is subject to the jurisdiction of the Bureau, or any rule, order, standard, or prohibition prescribed by the Bureau;

(3)filed, instituted, or caused to be filed or instituted any proceeding under any Federal consumer financial law; or

(4)objected to, or refused to participate in, any activity, policy, practice, or assigned task that the employee (or other such person) reasonably believed to be in violation of any law, rule, order, standard, or prohibition, subject to the jurisdiction of, or enforceable by, the Bureau.

(b)Definition of covered employee

For the purposes of this section, the term “covered employee” means any individual performing tasks related to the offering or provision of a consumer financial product or service.

(c)Procedures and timetables

(1)Complaint

(A)In general

A person who believes that he or she has been discharged or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of subsection (a) may, not later than 180 days after the date on which such alleged violation occurs, file (or have any person file on his or her behalf) a complaint with the Secretary of Labor alleging such discharge or discrimination and identifying the person responsible for such act.

(B)Actions of Secretary of Labor

Upon receipt of such a complaint, the Secretary of Labor shall notify, in writing, the person named in the complaint who is alleged to have committed the violation, of— (i)

(ii)the allegations contained in the complaint;

(iii)the substance of evidence supporting the complaint; and

(iv)opportunities that will be afforded to such person under paragraph (2).

(2)Investigation by Secretary of Labor (3) Grounds for determination of complaints

(A)In general

Not later than 60 days after the date of receipt of a complaint filed under paragraph (1), and after affording the complainant and the person named in the complaint who is alleged to have committed the violation that is the basis for the complaint an opportunity to submit to the Secretary of Labor a written response to the complaint and an opportunity to meet with a representative of the Secretary of Labor to present statements from witnesses, the Secretary of Labor shall—

(i)initiate an investigation and determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the complaint has merit; and

(ii)notify the complainant and the person alleged to have committed the violation of subsection (a), in writing, of such determination.

(B)Notice of relief available

If the Secretary of Labor concludes that there is reasonable cause to believe that a violation of subsection (a) has occurred, the Secretary of Labor shall, together with the notice under subparagraph (A)(ii), issue a preliminary order providing the relief prescribed by paragraph (4)(B).

(C)Request for hearing

Not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of notification of a determination of the Secretary of Labor under this paragraph, either the person alleged to have committed the violation or the complainant may file objections to the findings or preliminary order, or both, and request a hearing on the record. The filing of such objections shall not operate to stay any reinstatement remedy contained in the preliminary order. Any such hearing shall be conducted expeditiously, and if a hearing is not requested in such 30-day period, the preliminary order shall be deemed a final order that is not subject to judicial review.

(4)Issuance of final orders; review procedures

(A)Timing

Not later than 120 days after the date of conclusion of any hearing under paragraph (2), the Secretary of Labor shall issue a final order providing the relief prescribed by this paragraph or denying the complaint. At any time before issuance of a final order, a proceeding under this subsection may be terminated on the basis of a settlement agreement entered into by the Secretary of Labor, the complainant, and the person alleged to have committed the violation.

(B)Penalties

(i)Order of Secretary of Labor (ii) Penalty

If, in response to a complaint filed under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Labor determines that a violation of subsection (a) has occurred, the Secretary of Labor shall order the person who committed such violation—

(I)to take affirmative action to abate the violation;

(II)to reinstate the complainant to his or her former position, together with compensation (including back pay) and restore the terms, conditions, and privileges associated with his or her employment; and

(III)to provide compensatory damages to the complainant.

(C)Penalty for frivolous claims

If the Secretary of Labor finds that a complaint under paragraph (1) is frivolous or has been brought in bad faith, the Secretary of Labor may award to the prevailing employer a reasonable attorney fee, not exceeding $1,000, to be paid by the complainant.

(D)De novo review

(i)Failure of the Secretary to act

If the Secretary of Labor has not issued a final order within 210 days after the date of filing of a complaint under this subsection, or within 90 days after the date of receipt of a written determination, the complainant may bring an action at law or equity for de novo review in the appropriate district court of the United States having jurisdiction, which shall have jurisdiction over such an action without regard to the amount in controversy, and which action shall, at the request of either party to such action, be tried by the court with a jury.

(ii)Procedures

A proceeding under clause (i) shall be governed by the same legal burdens of proof specified in paragraph (3). The court shall have jurisdiction to grant all relief necessary to make the employee whole, including injunctive relief and compensatory damages, including—

(I)reinstatement with the same seniority status that the employee would have had, but for the discharge or discrimination;

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

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

(E)Other appeals

Unless the complainant brings an action under subparagraph (D), any person adversely affected or aggrieved by a final order issued under subparagraph (A) may file a petition for review of the order in the United States Court of Appeals for the circuit in which the violation with respect to which the order was issued, allegedly occurred or the circuit in which the complainant resided on the date of such violation, not later than 60 days after the date of the issuance of the final order of the Secretary of Labor under subparagraph (A). Review shall conform to chapter 7 of title 5. The commencement of proceedings under this subparagraph shall not, unless ordered by the court, operate as a stay of the order. An order of the Secretary of Labor with respect to which review could have been obtained under this subparagraph shall not be subject to judicial review in any criminal or other civil proceeding.

(5)Failure to comply with order

(A)Actions by the Secretary

If any person has failed to comply with a final order issued under paragraph (4), the Secretary of Labor may file a civil action in the United States district court for the district in which the violation was found to have occurred, or in the United States district court for the District of Columbia, to enforce such order. In actions brought under this paragraph, the district courts shall have jurisdiction to grant all appropriate relief including injunctive relief and compensatory damages.

(B)Civil actions to compel compliance

A person on whose behalf an order was issued under paragraph (4) may commence a civil action against the person to whom such order was issued to require compliance with such order. The appropriate United States district court shall have jurisdiction, without regard to the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the parties, to enforce such order.

(C)Award of costs authorized

The court, in issuing any final order under this paragraph, may award costs of litigation (including reasonable attorney and expert witness fees) to any party, whenever the court determines such award is appropriate.

(D)Mandamus proceedings

Any nondiscretionary duty imposed by this section shall be enforceable in a mandamus proceeding brought under section 1361 of title 28.

(d)Unenforceability of certain agreements

(1)No waiver of rights and remedies

Except as provided under paragraph (3), and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the rights and remedies provided for in this section may not be waived by any agreement, policy, form, or condition of employment, including by any predispute arbitration agreement.

(2)No predispute arbitration agreements

Except as provided under paragraph (3), and notwithstanding any other provision of law, no predispute arbitration agreement shall be valid or enforceable to the extent that it requires arbitration of a dispute arising under this section.

(3)Exception

Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), an arbitration provision in a collective bargaining agreement shall be enforceable as to disputes arising under subsection (a)(4), unless the Bureau determines, by rule, that such provision is inconsistent with the purposes of this title.1

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This title, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1), (2), and (d)(3), is title X of Pub. L. 111–203, July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 1955, known as the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, which enacted this subchapter and enacted, amended, and repealed numerous other sections and notes in the Code. For complete classification of title X to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 5301 of this title and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1058 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 5561 of this title.

§5567 Employee Protection