The Vermont Senate has passed a bill that would protect whistleblowers in state government from reprimand.
State law protects employees in the private sector who expose illegal or wrong business practices but lawmakers say state workers are only covered by their union contract.
Members of the Vermont State Employees Association, which represents state workers, urged lawmakers to pass the bill, testifying about fellow workers who faced reprimands and punishment for speaking out.
But the governor’s administration said the bill extended too far, opening up the chance that workers could exploit it.
A compromise bill approved Tuesday sets up a process for reporting complaints and clarifies that workers can speak out on issues unrelated to their work responsibilities.