Were you fired, harassed, or demoted in retaliation for reporting fraudulent activity to your employer or the authorities?
Employment retaliation lawyers at Katers & Granitz can help – Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation with money damages available and a potential whistleblower cash reward.
Employer retaliation against an employee in response to reporting fraudulent behavior is illegal. The U.S. Department of Justice recognizes the vital role employees play in bringing fraudulent behavior to light and understands the retaliation can accompany reporting an employer’s fraud.
The federal False Claims Act, state False Claims Acts, the Dodd-Frank Act and other laws have strong anti-retaliation provisions to protect employees who try to stop fraudulent activity.
Whistleblowers can be entitled to numerous remedies in cases of employer retaliation, including job reinstatement, two times back pay with interest, attorney’s fees, and other damages from unique hardships resulting from reporting an employer’s fraud.
In cases where the fraud involves cheating a U.S. government program like Medicare or conduct that would violate securities laws, whistleblowers can collect the retaliation damages and also from 10 to 30% of any money recovered by the government if they file a successful whistleblower lawsuit based on the fraud itself.
If you have been retaliated against and/or have inside information on workplace fraud, take action now to protect yourself and claim your cash reward. Contact the Katers & Granitz Team for a no-fee confidential consultation: 800.669.7782 or Report Online.
Do You Qualify for Employer Retaliation Damages Due to Reporting Fraudulent Behavior in the Workplace?
Both Federal and State False Claims Acts are provided to encourage those with information on government fraud to come forward. The Dodd-Frank Act also protects whistleblowers reporting corporate fraud to the SEC and makes a point to address any company policies that may be attempting to prevent fraud discovery or reporting.
According to Section (h) of the federal False Claims Act, those involved in an attempt to uncover fraudulent behavior may be eligible to collect damages incurred as a result of employer retaliation. State False Claims Acts typically mirror this anti-retaliation provision. Those protected by anti-retaliation provisions may include:
- People filing a whistleblower lawsuit or claim against their employer
- Anyone who intends to file a whistleblower claim or lawsuit against their employer
- Contractors or agents who assist the whistleblower in reporting fraud
- People who had no intent to file a whistleblower claim, but reported the fraudulent activity internally (to a supervisor or manager) in an attempt to put a stop to the violations.
What is Considered Employer Retaliation under the Anti-Retaliation Provision of the False Claims Act?
In order to show that an employee was retaliated against by his employer under the False Claims Act’s anti-retaliation provision, the employee must be able to demonstrate they were discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or otherwise discriminated against and this action was influenced by the employee’s opposition to the fraudulent behavior.
What Damages Can You Collect as a Result of Employer Retaliation Under the False Claims Act?
Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers who experience workplace retaliation are entitled to all damages essential to “make the employee whole.” These remedies include:
- Reinstatement of your job at the same seniority held prior to retaliation
- Two times the amount of back pay resulting from change in employment
- Interest on back pay resulting from change in employment
- Attorney’s fees and other litigation costs incurred due to the retaliation
- Depending on the circumstances, other resulting damages may be awarded
In addition to anti-retaliation remedies, if you have inside information on fraudulent activity that caused financial harm to the federal or a state government, you may file a whistleblower lawsuit and be eligible to collect a cash award of 10-30% of the recovery amount upon settlement or verdict.
Tim Granitz and the Katers & Granitz team take employer retaliation and fraud seriously and we have an exceptional track record with False Claims Act whistleblower claims. Contact us today for a confidential, no-cost consultation: 800.669.7782 or Report Online.
What is the First Step in Filing Your Anti-Retaliation Claim and Collecting Damages?
If you were fired or otherwise experienced retaliation in response to reporting fraudulent activity, do not go directly to the Department of Justice or other government office. They will gladly receive your information but there is a different process if want to claim a cash reward.
Brian Mahany, a veteran whistleblower lawyer with America’s largest whistleblower case recently to his credit, or one of the Mahany Law Firm whistleblower lawyers will confidentially discuss your observations and assess any evidence you may have with you and let you know whether you qualify to file an anti-retaliation and/or whistleblower action under a False Claims Act or other option.
If you can prove your case (often with the help of our investigators), The Mahany Law Firm’s anti-retaliation and fraud recovery expert attorneys, upon your approval, may file an action on your behalf spotlighting the fraud, seeking recovery of fraudulently obtained money, seeking damages for employer retaliation, asking for Department of Justice intervention, and seeking a whistleblower reward for you.
Your claim should be expertly presented from the very first step as there are no “do overs”. Call Brian Mahany and The Mahany Law Firm whistleblower fraud recovery team for a private, no-fee consultation: 800.669.7782 or Report Online.
Timing is Critical When Filing an Anti-Retaliation Claim
Employment retaliation claims all have time limits (statutes of limitation), which vary by state and federal law. To collect retaliation damages it is critical to report the action as soon as possible to protect your rights; your employer is likely already taking action to protect themselves, you should too to make sure you are not at a disadvantage.
Also if you are entitled to a False Claims Act or SEC whistleblower cash reward for reporting the fraud, being the first to report your information about fraud can solidify your role as a valuable whistleblower and increase your changes of receiving an award.
Take a stand and act now; anti-retaliation laws are in place to protect you. Call now for a no-fee consultation with an experienced Katers & Granitz whistleblower and retaliation lawyer: 800.669.7782 or Report Online.