Philadelphia Whistleblower Lawyers: Award for Penn State Whistleblower
Michael McQueary, a former Penn State University assistant football coach, was recently awarded an additional $5 million by a Pennsylvania judge. Judge Thomas Gavin of Centre County, Pennsylvania found that McQueary met the state law definition of a whistleblower. He further found that Penn State wrongfully terminated his employment in retaliation for the whistleblowing. The court ordered that McQueary be compensated for lost wages, reputational damage, and humiliation. Significantly, the judge stated that had Penn State publicly recognized McQueary for stepping forward, it would have helped reduce the public shame the school caused him by firing him.
During the eight seasons he served as an assistant coach at Penn State, McQueary coached wide receivers for head coach Joe Paterno. In 2001, he allegedly witnessed retired assistant coach Sandusky sexually assaulting a young boy. This was ten years before the scandal was brought to light and Sandusky was charged. In 2012, Sandusky was found guilty of molesting 10 boys. He was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.
McQueary also claimed in his lawsuit that former Penn State President Graham Spanier defamed him during a 2011 public statement. The jury awarded McQueary $7.3 million in compensatory and punitive damages as a result of the defamation and misrepresentation.
Philadelphia Whistleblower Lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green Fight for Employees Who Stand Up to Injustice
Under the law, a whistleblower may be a person who exposes illegal or wrongful activity. In order to encourage people to step forward to report such activity, there are certain protections in place for whistleblowers under the law. If you suspect that your employer has retaliated against you for reporting illegal or wrongful activity, you may be entitled to compensation under the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Law or other relevant statutes. To discuss your situation with one of the experienced Philadelphia whistleblower lawyers at Sidkoff, Pincus & Green, call us at 215-574-0600 or contact us online today. With offices conveniently located in Philadelphia, we represent clients throughout Pennsylvania and South Jersey.