Good afternoon,
I'm curious about whether former employees can be called "whistleblowers." I resigned from my job about a month before I went forward with information about my former boss's illegal activities, which trigged a major federal lawsuit against them. Although I was not a current employee at the time I came forward with information, can I still be considered a whistleblower, and therefore be protected under whistleblower laws? I have received word that my former employer may be retaliating against me by giving bad references, and I'm debating whether to move forward with a lawsuit against him for either slander or retaliation against a whistleblower. Or both, preferably.
I am in Texas.
Thanks for any insights!

