California Appellate Court Clarifies Whistleblower Protections in Equal Pay Act Case
On December 15, 2025, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, issued a published decision in Contreras v. Green Thumb Produce, Inc. , reversing a trial court’s grant of judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) in favor of the employer defendant in a whistleblower retaliation and wrongful termination case . The decision provides significant guidance on the scope of California’s whistleblower protections under Labor Code section 1102.5(b), particularly as they apply to employees who act on reasonable but mistaken interpretations of the law. Quick Hits The California Court of Appeal held that an employee’s reasonable, good-faith belief that an employer violated the law may support a whistleblower retaliation claim under California Labor Code section 1102.5(b) , even if the employee’s legal interpretation is ultimately mistaken. The court emphasized that section 1102.5(b)’s “objective reasonableness” of the employee’s belief is a question of fact for the jury, no...