A whistleblower law is a federal or state law that protects employees from retaliation, such as termination or discrimination, for properly disclosing employer wrongdoing. Also termed as a whistleblower act. An employer's wrongdoing includes...
wex definitions
Whistleblower Protection Act
A whistleblower protection act is a federal or state law that protects employees from retaliation, such as termination or discrimination, for properly disclosing employer wrongdoing. Also termed as the whistleblower act. An employer's...
whiteacre
Whiteacre is a fictional plot of land often used by legal scholars in discussions of real property law.
See also: blackacre
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
whole life insurance
Whole life insurance (also referred to as permanent life insurance) refers to life insurance policies that are meant to last until death and have an investment aspect. As long as the person pays the required premiums the insurance policy will...
widow
According to 17 USC § 101 a widow is a person whose spouse died during their marriage and has not since remarried. Also known as a surviving spouse.
[Last updated in March of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
widow's election
See: elective share
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
widower
According to 17 USC § 101 a widower is a person whose spouse died during their marriage. Also known as a surviving spouse.
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
wildcard exemption
Wildcard exemption is one of a few exemptions the Federal government and state governments allow in bankruptcy that protects some of the debtor’s personal assets from creditors. In Federal bankruptcy and in states where the wildcard exemption...
wildcat strike
A wildcat strike is one that is undertaken by employees without the consent of their union. Wildcat strikes are typically done with little notice or warning, making them particularly powerful because there is a higher likelihood that an...
wilful killing
"Wilful killing" is a war crime as codified in the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court. A prosecution for wilful killing must show the following elements:
A killing of one or more persons, who were protected under the...