October Term 2013 · Docket 12-3
Does the Sarbanes-Oxley Act protect contractor employees from retaliation?
The case tests whether federal law shields workers hired by outside firms from employer retaliation.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Ms. Saharsky argued the statute protects contractor employees from retaliation.
She stated Congress intended to cover accountants and lawyers.
Mr. Schnapper argued the statute uses classic employee-employer language.
He stated legislation regarding entity treatment refers to own employees.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-5
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The dispute centers on the scope of a federal whistleblower statute. One side argues the law covers only direct employees. The other side claims it protects workers of outside contractors.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 12, 2013.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Court to extend legal protection to contractor employees.
the opposing sides want the Court to limit protection to direct employees only.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the statute text covers contractor workers.
the opposing sides argue the statute refers only to an entity's own employees.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked how to limit protection if contractors are included.
Justice Ginsburg asked whether the law covers all employees or only some.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-5
Why it matters
This case defines who receives federal whistleblower protection. It determines the scope of anti-retaliation laws for corporate workers. It affects how companies manage outside contractor relationships.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-5
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 31-45 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 31-45
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.