Prohibition against retaliation

(a) Definition of covered individual In this section, the term covered individual includes, with respect to an employer, the following: (1) An employee. (2) A former employee. (3) An independent contractor. (4) A former independent contractor. (b) Prohibition No employer may, directly or indirectly, discharge, demote, suspend, threaten, blacklist, harass, or in any other manner discriminate against a covered individual in the terms and conditions of employment or post-employment of the covered individual (or the terms and conditions of work provided by the covered individual as an independent contractor) because of any lawful act done by the covered individual— (1) in providing information to the Department, a law enforcement agency, or any member of Congress or any committee of Congress regarding a violation of this Act; (2) in initiating, testifying in, or assisting in any investigation or judicial or administrative action, or any investigation of Congress, based upon or relating to the information described in paragraph (1); or (3) in providing information to a person with supervisory authority over the covered individual at the employer of the covered individual, or another individual working at the employer whom the covered individual reasonably believes has the authority to investigate, discover, or terminate the misconduct or take any other action to address the misconduct.