The Importance Of Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing is when criminal wrong doing is reported to the authorities by an employee of a company. Typical charges brought up are mismanagement, errors in financial reporting, cover-up of public health concerns and other issues that may negatively affect shareholders or the general public. Providing protection for whistleblowers is essential because people inside the company have the most direct access to the inner workings of the organization. Whistleblowers can help protect the public, an industry and even their own company from the negative actions of individuals within the organization. Protection also acts as deterrent from management making questionable decisions that they may have to defend if one person within the organization

Constitution protects free speech. This amendment can provide protection for government employees who are exposing a matter of “public concern”. They have the right to speak out if the government is doing something which is a safety or environmental concern. Whistleblowers in private employees can’t use the First Amendment for protection.

The False Claims Act encourages individuals with knowledge of fraud against the government to come forward by authorizing them to file an action in the name of the government. They are then eligible to receive with a percentage of any recovery achieved by that lawsuit. This act has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms to recover funds that have been stolen from the government through fraud by corporations, contractors, and individuals. Since 1986, more than 5,500 actions have been filed and more than $20 billion in settlements have been recovered by the

Speculation or second-hand information is not enough. To prove that retaliation occurred, proof must be offered that the claimant disclosed the misconduct and that any adverse actions they endured (such as firing, transfer, demotion, pay cut, significant change in duties, failing to promote, etc.) were in some way related to the disclosure.

The Florida False Claims Act allows whistleblowers to sue in the name of the State of Florida where a wrongdoer engages in conduct that defrauds the state or local governments of taxpayer dollars. The purpose of the Florida False Claims Act is to prevent people from knowingly causing state government to pay claims that are false. It provides remedies for obtaining damages and civil penalties for state government when money is obtained from state government by reason of a false claim. This act allows whistleblowers to receive 15-30% of the proceeds in a successful