Casey Ruud, Westinghouse Hanford Company, Intervenor v. U.S. Department of Labor Westinghouse Hanford Company

Worker's Whistleblower Settlement Upheld by Court

Casey Ruud worked for Westinghouse Hanford Company and filed a whistleblower complaint, claiming the company retaliated against him, harassed him, and wrongfully terminated his employment after he reported workplace safety or regulatory violations. Ruud and his employer eventually reached a settlement agreement to resolve the dispute, which the U.S. Department of Labor approved.

However, Ruud later challenged this settlement, asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to review and overturn the Department of Labor's decision to approve the agreement. The court sided against Ruud, upholding the Department of Labor's approval of the settlement between him and Westinghouse Hanford.

This ruling matters for workers because it shows that once you agree to settle a whistleblower case and the Department of Labor approves it, courts will generally not overturn that decision unless there are serious legal problems with the settlement process. Workers considering settlement offers in whistleblower cases should carefully review the terms before agreeing, as it can be very difficult to challenge an approved settlement later, even if you change your mind about the agreement.