Many people contact Swartz Swidler about the information that they have learned about their companies because they are unsure whether they have actionable claims for whistleblower lawsuits. Others also want to know if their provision of information to governmental authorities triggered the prohibition on retaliation against whistleblowers. By understanding the legal definition of a whistleblower
Healthcare fraud is a widespread problem and is one of the most common types of fraud featured in claims under the False Claims Act. Through the FCA, whistleblowers have helped the government recover billions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors, and pharmacies. Medicaid faces major risks of fraud. Medicaid fraud occurs when health care
Famous whistleblowers have been depicted in movies and are sometimes reported in the news. Because of these types of media, you likely have a general familiarity with what whistleblowers are. Whistleblowers are people who learn about illegal or unethical conduct within their companies or within the government and report what they know. Many whistleblowers are
Whistleblowers serve an important role in bringing the illegal actions of managers, executives, and companies to light. Without whistleblowers, many of the types of fraud and other wrongdoing by companies may go undiscovered. Unfortunately, blowing the whistle can result in serious consequences. Whistleblowers are frequently targeted for retaliation by their employers. The retaliatory actions may
The statute of limitations refers to the time period someone has to file a claim from the triggering event that gives rise to that claim. Filing a lawsuit during the statute of limitation time period, which can range anywhere from two to fifteen years depending upon the claim and the applicable law, is a very
Historically, whistleblowers and the government have relied on the False claims Act as a tool to combat fraud against the government. However, there are limitations to this law, including the fact that the False Claims Act only applies to situations in which the federal government has been defrauded. Fraud that is committed against others such
If you have inside information that fraud is occurring at your workplace against the government or securities investors, you might want to learn about the whistleblower process. Many people who decide to come forward are regular workers who are simply doing their jobs. According to the National Business Ethics Survey of 2007, 56% of workers
The government offers monetary incentives to people who expose certain types of illegal activities. These incentives are called whistleblower awards. Under federal law, the government is required to reward people who blow the whistle with a percentage of the money that the government is able to recover because of their whistleblowing. As a reward for
Some workers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania have knowledge that their employers are committing fraud against the government and want to report it. While whistleblowing allows people a way to do the right thing, it also can expose workers to job loss and reputational damage within their fields. If you would like to report the
Whistleblowers have protections under federal and state law when they report their employers for committing fraud against the government. It is important for you to understand qui tam cases so that you can determine whether you have a potential claim to file and whether you want to proceed with it. Here are some key things