Which of the following does federal and state law protect when reporting a violation of law in their workplace to a person in authority?

The Good Samaritan laws provide legal protection to individuals who voluntarily provide assistance to those who are injured or in peril. While these laws encourage people to help others in emergency situations, they do not relate to workplace violations or protections for reporting misconduct.

Lawyers provide legal representation and advice but are not specifically protected under whistleblower laws when reporting workplace violations. Their role is more about advising clients on legal matters rather than reporting unlawful conduct themselves, and thus they do not benefit from the same protections as whistleblowers.

Patients are individuals receiving medical care and have certain rights, but they are not directly involved in workplace law violations in the same context as whistleblowers. The protections for patients typically pertain to healthcare privacy and rights rather than protections for reporting misconduct in a workplace setting.