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Kansas Whistleblower Protections

All Kansas citizens are protected by state and federal whistleblower laws. We have provided information about many of the laws in Kansas below. For more information about federal laws, click here.
 

Government Employees

Other Whistleblower Laws

Statutes specifically protecting government whistleblowers

Kansas Whistleblower Act

Parties Protected By Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-2973 (West)

 

(c) No supervisor or appointing authority of any state agency shall prohibit any employee of the state agency from discussing the operations of the state agency or other matters of public concern, including matters relating to the public health, safety and welfare either specifically or generally, with any member of the legislature or any auditing agency.

 

(d) No supervisor or appointing authority of any state agency shall: (1) Prohibit any employee of the state agency from reporting any violation of state or federal law or rules and regulations to any person, agency or organization; or (2) require any such employee to give notice to the supervisor or

appointing authority prior to making any such report.

Protected Actions Under Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-2973 (West)

 

(c) No supervisor or appointing authority of any state agency shall prohibit any employee of the state agency from discussing the operations of the state agency or other matters of public concern, including matters relating to the public health, safety and welfare either specifically or generally, with any member of the legislature or any auditing agency.

 

(d) No supervisor or appointing authority of any state agency shall: (1) Prohibit any employee of the state agency from reporting any violation of state or federal law or rules and regulations to any person, agency or organization; or (2) require any such employee to give notice to the supervisor or

appointing authority prior to making any such report.

Specific Remedies Authorized By Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-2973 (West)

 

(f) “Any officer or employee of a state agency who is in the classified service and has permanent status under the Kansas civil service act may appeal to the state civil service board whenever the officer or employee alleges that disciplinary action was taken against the officer or employee in violation of his act. The appeal shall be filed within 90 days after the alleged disciplinary action. Procedures governing the appeal shall be in accordance with subsections (f) and (g) of K.S.A. 75-2949 and amendments thereto and K.S.A. 75-2929d through 75-2929g and amendments thereto. If the board finds that disciplinary action taken was unreasonable, the board shall modify or reverse the agency’s action and order such relief for the employee as the board considers appropriate. If the board finds a violation of this act, it may require as a penalty that the violator be suspended on leave without pay for not more than 30 days or, in cases of willful or repeated violations, may require that the violator forfeit the violator’s position as a state officer or employee and disqualify the violator for appointment to or employment as a state officer or employee for a period of not more than two years. The board may award the prevailing party all or a portion of the costs of the proceedings before the board, including reasonable attorney fees and witness fees. The decision of the board pursuant to this subsection may be appealed by any party pursuant to law. On appeal, the court may award the prevailing party all or a portion of the costs of the appeal, including reasonable attorney fees and witness fees.”

 

(h) “Any officer or employee who is in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act who alleges that disciplinary action has been taken against such officer or employee in violation of this section may bring an action pursuant to the act for judicial review and civil enforcement of agency actions within 90 days after the occurrence of the alleged violation. The court may award the prevailing party in the action all or a portion of the costs of the action, including reasonable attorney fees and witness fees.”

Statutes protecting whistleblowers who report fraud against government

Kansas False Claims Act

Citation

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-7507 (West)

Parties Protected By Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-7507 (West) Sec. 6: “Any employee.”

Protected Actions Under Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-7507 (West) Sec. 6

 

“Any employee who is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed or in any other manner retaliated against in the terms and conditions of employment by such employee’s employer because of lawful acts undertaken in good faith by the employee on behalf of the employee or others, in furtherance of an action under this act, including investigation for, initiation of, testimony for, or assistance in an action filed or to be filed under this act, shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make the employee whole.”

Specific Remedies Authorized By Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-7507 (West) Sec. 6 “…all relief necessary to make the employee whole.”

General-purpose statutes protecting whistleblowers

Unlawful acts against witnesses and litigants

Citation

Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 44-615:

Parties Protected By Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 44-615: “any employee”

Protected Actions Under Statute

Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 44-615:

 

“It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to discharge any employee or to discriminate in any way against any employee because of the fact that any such employee may testify as a witness before the secretary of labor, or shall sign any complaint or shall be in any way instrumental in bringing to the attention of the secretary of labor any matter of controversy between employers and employees as provided herein.”