New Jersey Supreme Court Says Fired Nurse Didn’t Meet Standard for Whistle-Blower Suit

A New Jersey nurse may not recover damages under the state’s whistle-blower protection act on the basis that he was fired for complaining about his employer’s response to a flu outbreak, the state’s supreme court ruled June 16 (Hitesman v. Bridgeway, Inc., , 2014 BL 165703, N.J., 072466, 6/16/14).

The New Jersey Supreme Court found that James Hitesman didn’t state a claim under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), N.J. Stat. Ann. § 34:19-1 to 34:19-8, against Bridgeway Inc., which operates a nursing home.

Hitesman’s complaints, the court said, weren’t premised on a reasonable belief that Bridgeway ...