A. An employer may not retaliate against an employee when the employee has in good faith:

1. Filed a claim under this act;

2. Retained a lawyer for representation regarding a claim under this act;

3. Instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under the provisions of this act; or

4. Testified or is about to testify in any proceeding under the provisions of this act.

B. The district courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide claims based on this section.

C. An employer which violates any provision of this section shall be liable in a district court action for reasonable damages, actual and punitive if applicable, suffered by an employee as a result of the violation. Exemplary or punitive damage awards made pursuant to this section shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00). The employee shall have the burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence.

D. The prevailing party shall be entitled to recover costs and a reasonable attorney fee.

E. No employer may discharge an employee during a period of temporary total disability for the sole reason of being absent from work or for the purpose of avoiding payment of temporary total disability benefits to the injured employee.

F. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an employer shall not be required to rehire or retain an employee who, after temporary total disability has been exhausted, is determined by a physician to be physically unable to perform his or her assigned duties, or whose position is no longer available.

G. This section shall not be construed as establishing an exception to the employment-at-will doctrine.

H. The remedies provided for in this section shall be exclusive with respect to any claim arising out of the conduct described in subsection A of this section.

Added by Laws 2013, c. 208, § 7, eff. Feb. 1, 2014. Amended by Laws 2019, c. 476, § 5, emerg. eff. May 28, 2019.