The Florida Senate

¹442.21  Information identifying employees exercising rights; confidentiality.--

(1)  Information held by the Department of Labor and Employment Security identifying an employee who has exercised any right granted under this chapter is confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until the identity of the employee is otherwise permissibly made public under the laws of this state or pursuant to proceedings under the laws of this state.

(2)  The Legislature finds that it is a public necessity that information held by the Department of Labor and Employment Security identifying any employee who has exercised his or her rights granted under this chapter, such as reporting work-related health and safety hazards and violations, be held confidential and exempt from the public records law. This exemption is necessary because release of such information to the public could lead to discrimination against and harassment of the reporting employee by coworkers and others, and thus potentially jeopardize any ensuing investigation. Accordingly, disclosure could chill an employee's willingness to report potential health and safety violations.

History.--s. 1, ch. 93-422; s. 293, ch. 96-406; s. 14, ch. 99-240.

¹Note.--Repealed July 1, 2000, by s. 14, ch. 99-240.