Law360 recently captured JGL principal Brian Markovitz’s perspective of the personnel changes executed by EPA administrator Scott Pruitt and the potential whistleblower claims that may result. According to a recent New York Times report, five top advisers and security personnel who questioned some of Pruitt’s expenditures, travel habits and security related moves were either demoted to jobs with less responsibility, transferred to jobs outside of Pruitt’s group, placed on administrative leave without pay, asked to resign, or investigated. Although the EPA defends these employee changes and denies any connection between the changes and the employees’ actions against Pruitt, the employees could have claims under the Whistleblower Protection Act according to legal experts.
Markovitz believes these employee changes may not only result in whistleblower claims but also may negatively impact the EPA’s employee morale. “The super talented employees who have been there for years leave, so you have an institutional brain drain, which is terrible,” Markovitz said. “And everybody else just keeps their heads down. They just do enough of their job to try to keep their job and feed their families. Nobody’s going to stick their neck out, creatively or otherwise.”
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In his practice, Markovitz serves clients from a variety of industries including government, construction, healthcare, and many more. His clients trust him to help them during their most desperate times, and they appreciate his dedication to correcting injustices that have a tremendous impact on their lives. Markovitz brings an individualized and holistic approach to every case, taking into account each client’s distinct needs and goals in resolving the dispute. His goal isn’t just to win the case – it’s also about helping each client in every way he can.
