Sec. 6. Amendments to the whistleblower protections under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
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/bill/114/hr/4619/ih/section-6A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Section 1514A of title 18, United States Code, is amended— in subsection (a)— in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking in the terms and conditions of employment because of any lawful act done by the employee and inserting with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of any lawful act done by the applicant, employee, or former employee or perceived to have been done by the applicant, employee, or former employee (or any person acting pursuant to the request of the applicant, employee, or former employee), whether at the initiative of the applicant, employee, or former employee or in the ordinary course of the duties of the applicant, employee, or former employee ; in paragraph (1)(C), by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon; in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and by adding at the end the following: in objecting to, or refusing to participate in, any activity, policy, practice, or assigned task the applicant, employee, or former 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 Securities and Exchange Commission; or in providing, preparing to provide, or assisting in the provision of information to the employer or a person with supervisory authority over the applicant, employee, or former employee (or such other person working for the employer who has the authority to investigate, discover, or terminate misconduct) relating to any violation of, or any act or omission that the whistleblower 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 Securities and Exchange Commission, or any rule, order, standard, or prohibition prescribed by the Commission. ; in subsection (c)(2)(B), by inserting double before back pay ; in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following:
Relief for any action under paragraph
(1)may include punitive damages in an amount not to exceed $250,000. ; and by adding at the end the following: Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Secretary of Labor, nor any officer or employee of the Commission or the Secretary may disclose any identifying information about an employee of a company described in subsection
(a)who has provided information to the Commission or the Secretary— unless the Commission or the Secretary has obtained the written consent of the whistleblower; except in accordance with the provisions of section 552a of title 5, United States Code; or unless required to be disclosed to a defendant or respondent in connection with a public proceeding instituted by the Commission or the Secretary. .