Court to Decide if Whistle Blower Is Protected

The Washington state Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case to decide whether a whistle blower is protected when he reports alcohol use in the workplace, according to Leagle.com.

Matthew Cudney worked for the Spokane office of Alsco Inc., but was fired in 2008 after telling co-workers that a company branch manager was intoxicated at work and then drove off in a company car.

Attorneys for Alsco have denied Cudney was fired for making the comments.

The case is similar to a 1996 Washington Supreme Court case involving a worker who was fired by his armored car company for leaving an armored car near a bank to help a bank teller threatened by a knife-wielding robber. The court ruled he was wrongly fired because of a "good Samaritan" public policy protects workers if they break a rule but help someone in need.

A decision in the whistle blower case is expected later this year.