Opinion ID: 28989
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Texas Whistleblower Act Claim

Text: Perez's final claim is that Region 20 retaliated against him for reporting another employee's sexual harassment in violation of the Texas Whistleblower Act. The Texas Whistleblower Act prevents a government employer from taking an adverse employment action against an employee who, in good faith, reports his employer's violation of law to an appropriate law enforcement 7 Perez contends that even if sovereign immunity applies to Region 20, it bars only his claim for money damages under the ADA, not his claim for injunctive relief. This argument misunderstands the nature of suits against states permitted in federal court under the Eleventh Amendment. Suits against state officials for prospective injunctive relief may be permitted in federal court. See Garrett, 531 U.S. at 374 n.9; Ex Parte Young, 209 U.S. 123, 15556 (1908); see also Edelman, 415 U.S. at 664-65 (distinguishing between prospective and retroactive injunctive relief). Perez, however, has sued only Region 20 itself and not any of its officers. Thus, Perez's argument that sovereign immunity does not bar injunctive relief in his case fails. No. 01-50591 -25- agency. TEX. GOV'T CODE ANN. § 554.002 (Vernon 1994 & Supp. 2002). The district court found that Perez's Whistleblower Act claim failed on the merits. We need not address the merits of the Texas Whistleblower Act claim because this claim is barred by Eleventh Amendment immunity as well.8 The Texas Whistleblower Act waives sovereign immunity in state court. See TEX. GOV'T CODE ANN. § 554.0035 (Vernon 1994 & Supp. 2002) (Sovereign immunity is waived and abolished to the extent of liability for the relief allowed under this chapter for a violation of this chapter.). We recently held, however, that the Texas Whistleblower Act's waiver of sovereign immunity in Texas state court does not amount to a waiver of its sovereign immunity in federal court. See Martinez, 2002 WL 1721803, at -8. We noted that [e]ven when a State consents to suit in its own courts, . . . it may retain Eleventh Amendment immunity from suit in federal court. Id. at . We then examined the text of the waiver provision in the Whistleblower Act and concluded that the Act does not evidence[] any intent by Texas to waive its Eleventh Amendment immunity and subject itself to suit in federal courts. Id. Since we hold that Region 20 is an arm of the State of Texas, sovereign immunity bars Perez's claim under the Whistleblower Act. We affirm summary judgment on this claim, though on different grounds that those cited by the district court.