§ 42.40.010 Policy
§ 42.40.020 Definitions
§ 42.40.030 Right to disclose improper governmental actions — Interference prohibited
§ 42.40.035 Duty of correctness — Penalties for false information
§ 42.40.040 Report of improper governmental action — Investigations and reports by auditor, agency
§ 42.40.050 Retaliatory action against whistleblower — Remedies
§ 42.40.070 Summary of chapter available to employees
§ 42.40.080 Contracting for assistance
§ 42.40.090 Administrative costs
§ 42.40.100 Assertions against auditor
§ 42.40.110 Performance audit
§ 42.40.910 Application of chapter

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Terms Used In Washington Code > Chapter 42.40 - State employee whistleblower protection

  • Auditor: means the office of the state auditor. See Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Employee: means any individual employed or holding office in any department or agency of state government. See Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Good faith: means the individual providing the information or report of improper governmental activity has a reasonable basis in fact for reporting or providing the information. See Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Gross mismanagement: means the exercise of management responsibilities in a manner grossly deviating from the standard of care or competence that a reasonable person would observe in the same situation. See Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Improper governmental action: means any action by an employee undertaken in the performance of the employee's official duties:
Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
  • Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
  • Public official: means the attorney general's designee or designees; the director, or equivalent thereof in the agency where the employee works; an appropriate number of individuals designated to receive whistleblower reports by the head of each agency; or the executive ethics board. See Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Substantial and specific danger: means a risk of serious injury, illness, peril, or loss, to which the exposure of the public is a gross deviation from the standard of care or competence which a reasonable person would observe in the same situation. See Washington Code 42.40.020
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Whistleblower: means :
  • Washington Code 42.40.020