Whistleblowers are courageous. They often act as society’s canaries in a coal mine, pointing out dangerous situations whose continuance can only lead to abuse and illegal activity that harms society. Unfortunately, instead of being rewarded for their courage in pointing out misdeeds, whistleblowers may be subjected to punishment, harassment, or outright termination of employment.
Depending on the circumstances, in the event your employer retaliates against you, you may be entitled to:
When an employee discovers a fraud upon the federal government, such as Medicare or Medicaid billing fraud, or a fraud committed against the state government, such as in a state contract, the employee may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the government against the person or entities committing the fraud. The employee as complaining party is called the whistleblower or relator and the employee shares in any money that the government collects in the lawsuit. This type of action is called a qui tam action. Millions of dollars have been collected by whistleblowers in qui tam actions.
Whether you are an executive, an administrative employee, or a sales associate, you are entitled to bring your suit alleging illegal activity against the government. A skilled attorney can examine the facts of your case and help investigate the situation. Speaking to an attorney before reporting the illegal activity can help to minimize any retaliation by an employer, and can put the whistleblower in the best position to win in a lawsuit against the party committing the fraud.