Most employers want their employees to “follow the chain of command” and not go “over the head” of their immediate supervisor. But a recent case from the Tennessee Supreme Court illustrates the pitfalls of being too rigid about this requirement. In Williams v. City of Burns, a police captain was asked to “fix” a speeding ticket at the request of the chief of police, and complained to the mayor about the chief’s conduct. The police chief fired the captain, who sued for retaliation under the Tennessee Public Protection Act. The City’s defense was that the captain was not fired for