Labor: fair employment practices; whistleblowers' protection act; modify definition of employee and protected activities. Amends title & secs. 1, 2, 3 & 5 of 1980 PA 469 (MCL 15.361 et seq.) & adds sec. 4a.

HB 4323 proposes amendments to Michigan's Whistleblowers' Protection Act, aiming to expand protections for individuals reporting violations of state, local, or federal law. The bill broadens the definition of "employee" to include independent contractors and certain prospective employees, and adds refusing to participate in a violation as a protected activity. It extends the time limit for filing a civil action to two years and increases the civil fine for employers who violate the act from $500 to $10,000. Additionally, the bill introduces a mechanism to award the first reporting employee 30% of any money the state recovers as a result of their report.