Legal Protections for Workplace Whistleblowers
Carroll & McDonald, Attorneys at Law
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1-877-878-5914 | E-Mail
Various federal laws protect whistleblower employees — employees who witness illegal behavior by their employer and want to report the company to the proper authorities.
Whistleblowers usually put their career — and financial security — at stake when they blow the whistle on a company acting outside the law. However, if you seek legal advice on whistleblower protections before you take action, a knowledgeable employment law attorney may be able to help you protect your job. Depending on the type of whistleblower claim, you may also be able to collect a "reward" of sorts from the government.
The Employment Law Firm of Carroll & McDonald, Attorneys at Law
Carroll & McDonald, Attorneys at Law, is a Milwaukee-area employment law firm that focuses its practice on protecting employee rights. From our New Berlin offices, our attorneys represent employees in all types of industries throughout Wisconsin.
If you are considering becoming a whistleblower, we encourage you to contact us before you take action. We will provide quick and practical advice on how to proceed so as to best protect your job. Furthermore, you will have an experienced lawyer at your side throughout the course of your whistleblowing activity.
The Federal False Claims Act and Other Whistleblower Protection Laws
A long list of federal laws protect employees who report their employers to the government for engaging in illegal behavior:
The Federal False Claims Act: If you work for a company with a government contract and you have information that it is defrauding the government, you can file a formal complaint anonymously with the government. False Claims Act complaints are common in health care settings, where doctors or nurses become aware of Medicaid or Medicare fraud.
If you report Medicaid or Medicare fraud, you may be entitled to receive a percentage of the money the government recovers from the hospital or other heath care entity.
- The Occupational Heath and Safety Administration: OSHA protects whistleblowers who make complaints about unsafe working conditions.
- Sarbanes-Oxley Act: This law protects employees of a publicly traded company under SEC jurisdiction who report their belief that the company has engaged in any type of securities fraud.
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission: The NRC protects whistleblower employees of nuclear power plants who complain about safety issues.
- Employees of the state of Wisconsin: Public employees have First Amendment rights to complain publicly about matters of public concern, e.g., if you go to the local newspaper to report wrongdoing in the state agency where you work.
Contact Carroll & McDonald, Attorneys at Law
If you are planning to act as a whistleblower because your employer is engaging in wrongdoing, it is a good idea to get legal advice before you take action.
In an initial consultation with one of our lawyers, we will conduct a detailed interview to find out exactly what your plans are and how we can help. We will ask you detailed questions about the facts of your case, discuss your particular goals and discuss how we can work to protect your job while you report your company's wrongdoing.
To schedule an appointment, contact our office today. Call toll-free to 1-877-878-5914, or send us an e-mail for a prompt response.
