Lippert v. Community Bank, Inc.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit overturned a summary judgment in favor of defendant Community Bank, Inc., but in doing so, it provided some guidance on the types of reports than can and cannot be considered "protected communications" under the "whistleblower" provisions of FIRREA (at 12 U.S.C. § 1831j). The decision also serves as a reminder that there are several whistleblower statutes protecting employees who contact authorities about alleged wrongdoing of an employer. Employers who retaliate do so at great risk. The District Court's summary judgment for the defendant was vacated and the case remanded, with guidance from the Court of Appeals.