MINNEAPOLIS, MN €" A
Businessweek article last week revealed that a little-noticed
provision in the new food safety law
that President Obama signed last month includes whistleblower protection for those workers who expose unsafe food handling practices.
While focusing on preventing foodborne illnesses, The Food Safety and Modernization Act also protects workers at companies regulated by the FDA from being fired, demoted or denied promotions or raises if they speak out about unsafe practices at their companies.
The law does not apply to workers in the meatpacking and poultry industries, which come under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), one of the leading proponents of the law, explained that unless workers can report problems without fear of retribution, threats to public safety may not come to light until it's too late.