§ 1-613. Private action for retaliation action.
§ 1‑613. Private actionfor retaliation action.
Any employee, contractor, oragent who is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or in anyother manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employmentbecause of lawful acts done by the employee, contractor, or agent on behalf ofthe employee, contractor, or agent or associated others in furtherance of anaction under this Article, or in furtherance of other efforts to stop one ormore violations of G.S. 1‑607, including investigation for, initiationof, testimony for, or assistance in an action filed or to be filed under thisArticle, shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make the employee whole.Such relief shall include reinstatement with the same seniority status the employee,contractor, or agent would have had but for the discrimination, two times theamount of back pay, interest on the back pay, and compensation for any specialdamages sustained as a result of the discrimination, including litigation costsand reasonable attorneys' fees. An employee, contractor, or agent may bring anaction in superior court for the relief provided in this section. (2009‑554, s. 1.)