The Department of Labor and the courts interpret protected activity broadly. Protected activity describes the actions an employee can take, and be protected by the law from retaliation.  Telling your boss about something you believe to be a violation can be protected activity. Calling the SEC is also protected activity. So, if the boss gets mad and fires you for calling the SEC, you can make a complaint against that unlawful retaliation. Sarbanes-Oxley also protects employees who report violations to the employer. Dodd-Frank (LINK)extends that employee protection to prevent retaliation not just against the employee, but also against and contractor, agent or associated others. Sarbanes-Oxley describes the scope of protected activity as: to provide information, cause information to be provided, or otherwise assist in an investigation regarding any conduct which the employee reasonably believes is a violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley law itself, any rule or regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any provision of Federal law relating to fraud against shareholders, when the information or assistance is provided to or the investigation is conducted by: a Federal regulatory or law enforcement agency; any Member of Congress or any committee of Congress; a person with supervisory authority over the employee; or such other person working for the employer who has the authority to investigate, discover, or terminate misconduct Sarbanes-Oxley also protects workers who have commenced, or are about to commence, a proceeding for enforcement of any requirement imposed under the law. Protection can begin as soon as the evidence suggests that management thought the worker might be a witness in a future enforcement proceeding. Similarly, filing a grievance, contacting the media, refusing to perform illegal assignments, and other forms of standing up against violations of the law can be protected. Even complaints that are indirect or misdirected may result in protection if they reveal to management the intention to enforce the law. For employees assigned to accounting, quality control or enforcement work, doing that work too well is also protected. However, if the employee has concealed the protected activity from the employer, then an issue might arise about whether the employer knew about it before imposing the retaliatory action. For this reason, some whistleblowers will notify the employer directly, through a means that establishes the date on which the employer received the notice. Certified mail, email, and faxes can all provide evidence of the date of receipt. Sometimes, the employer's investigation or interrogation of an employee can reveal employer knowledge of the protected activity. The employee is not required to prove the underlying violation. The employee needs only a reasonable basis to believe that a violation might have occurred. Under Sarbanes-Oxley, internal disclosures (complaints made to a supervisor) are protected.