PPG Must Face Whistleblower’s Retaliation Claim in Win Reversal

PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc., saw its award of summary judgment in a retaliation case reversed by the Ninth Circuit Tuesday after it found the lower court misapplied a standard for California whistleblower suits.

Former PPG employee Wallen Lawson sued PPG, part of Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries Inc., for retaliation, alleging he was fired after anonymously reporting his supervisor’s directive to mistint paint products sold to Lowe’s. The fraudulent practice allowed PG to avoid buying back the mistinted product and forced Lowe’s to sell it at a discounted rate, Lawson said.

The district court correctly held that Lawson showed retaliation ...