WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION

A whistleblower is someone who reports waste, fraud, abuse, corruption, or dangers to public health and safety to someone who is in the position to rectify the wrongdoing. Whistleblower laws are in place at the federal, state, and local levels, ranging from the False Claims Act to the Clean Air Act, and each has unique definitions, procedures, and protections.

 

Whistleblower procedures and protections come from several different sources. The federal government and many states have laws protecting whistleblowers from retaliation for filing a claim or reporting a violation provided that the proper procedures are followed. To be protected, an employee must have a good-faith belief that the employer is violating the law and must complain either to the employer or to an agency about the apparent violation. The employee is then protected even if the employer is ultimately found to be in compliance. McKinley Onua works to secure these important protections against retaliation.

 

In addition, in some cases, our firm will be able to secure financial rewards for the whistleblower for assisting in the prosecution of the wrongdoer. A variety of laws provide financial incentives for whistleblowers to report evidence of wrongdoing, with the amount of rewards tied to how much the whistleblower contributed to the success of prosecutions.