When an employee chooses to expose dishonest or illegal activities of their employer, they become known as a “whistleblower.” On July 30, 1778, the Founding Fathers of our country passed the Whistleblower Protection Law for those who are willing to step forward and bring these activities to light. On the same date in 2015, several Congress members gathered to celebrate the first official National Whistleblowers Day.
Why is it Important to Protect Whistleblowers?
There are many laws that exist to ensure that business owners operate their enterprises legally and transparently. Unfortunately, not all business owners choose to follow the laws put in place to protect the public, and some knowingly involve their employees in their own misconduct.
There are many occupations in which a whistleblower might witness misconduct and consider filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). There are also several different ways in which misconduct can occur:
- Consumer Product Violations
- Fraud Against The Government
- Environmental Violations
Legal Help for Whistleblowers
While it can seem like a daunting task to call out a large corporation or business on their wrong-doing, legal help is available for individuals who choose to do so. A whistleblower is protected from retaliation from their employer by certain U.S. qui tam laws, and the rewards for exposing fraud and violations can be great.
If you have witnessed illegal or immoral activity at your place of work, do not hesitate to contact one of our experienced attorneys to see what kind of case you have as a whistleblower.