(a)  Any hospital employee may notify their employer of any violation of law, regulation, or standard pertaining to safety and health in the place of employment, at any time an employee learns of a violation.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 23-17.28-3

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Director: means the director of the Rhode Island department of health. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-17.28-2
  • Hospital: means any institutional health service provider, facility, or institution, place, building, agency, or portion thereof, whether a partnership or corporation, whether public or private, whether organized for profit or not, used, operated, or engaged in providing healthcare services. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-17.28-2
  • in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16

(b)  Any employee or representative of the employee may complain to the director, or any authorized representative of the director, regarding any violation of law, regulation, or standard pertaining to safety and health in their place of employment, regardless of whether or not the employee has also notified or notifies their employer.

(c)  Upon receipt of an employee complaint, the director shall notify the hospital, adhering to confidentiality requests pursuant to subsection (d), and make inquiries, inspections, and investigations that the director considers reasonable and appropriate. When an employee or representative of the employee has complained in writing of an alleged violation and the director, after investigation, determines that no action will or should be taken against the employer, the director shall furnish to the employee or representative of the employee, upon written request, a statement of the reasons for the decision.

(d)  The director shall establish procedures for keeping confidential the identity of any employee who requests protection of their identity in writing. When a request for confidentiality has been made, neither a written complaint from an employee, or representative of the employee, nor any memorandum, report, or any other writing containing the identity of a complainant may be disclosed.

History of Section.
P.L. 2021, ch. 330, § 1, effective January 15, 2022; P.L. 2021, ch. 331, § 1, effective January 15, 2022.