When you serve as a whistleblower under the False Claims Act, you can recover a monetary award in exchange for information that leads to a conviction for defrauding the government. Often, this information comes from individuals working for or with the company involved in the fraudulent acts.
One common fear among these workers is that they will face repercussions in their professional lives when working with the government. However, federal law stands as a shield, prohibiting any form of retaliation.
An experienced whistleblower attorney could review employment records to determine if this prohibition was violated. Contact a Columbia whistleblower retaliation lawyer with our legal team to learn more.
Federal law contains several prohibitions designed to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. When a person reports a potential violation of the False Claims Act to the government, they gain certain protections against any consequences from their employer or supervisor.
The False Claims Act prohibits any form of retaliation against a person who participates in an investigation. These acts can take many different forms, including any kind of punishment or discipline. This is true whether or not the punishment was explicitly related to cooperating with federal authorities. Some examples of retaliatory actions include the following:
All of these actions are illegal when they are taken to punish someone who provides information under the False Claims Act. A whistleblower retaliation attorney in Columbia could help pursue all available remedies under federal law.
Many different whistleblower programs are available, from the IRS to the CTFC. What each of these programs has in common is the potential to remedy whistleblower retaliation.
It is against the law for a company or supervisor to punish someone for providing the federal government with evidence of fraud. A private cause of action is available to whistleblowers who have had their employer retaliate against them. That means they have the right to file a civil suit for damages and other remedies.
When a person is illegally terminated or demoted from their position, they have the opportunity to seek back pay for the income they lost out on. They might also have grounds to seek additional compensation if denied a promotion based on their agreement to cooperate with federal authorities.
Other remedies are possible outside of monetary compensation. For example, the courts could order a company to reinstate a terminated worker or return them to their prior position if they were demoted.
Another possible form of compensation in these cases is recovering attorney fees. Given the cost of legal counsel, this can be a significant expense that could be avoided. A whistleblower retaliation lawyer in Columbia could answer any questions about the available remedies, including the cost of representation. Call today for more information.
Even though providing details of fraudulent activity can be rewarding in several ways, there is always the potential for dealing with retaliatory behavior from an employer or supervisor.
The good news is that there are remedies for this illegal behavior. Reach out to our law office today to schedule a meeting with a Columbia whistleblower retaliation lawyer and learn more. Our dedicated legal team could protect your rights and guide you as you pursue compensation for inside knowledge of fraudulent activity.