Rheuban & Gresen
Southern California Employment Lawyers

When private companies are cheating the government out of taxpayer money, the government sometimes relies on whistleblowers to prevent wasteful, illegitimate spending. If you are aware of wasteful or fraudulent spending of government money by a governmental agency or a private employer in California, or your employer has retaliated against you for reporting fraud or illegal activity, come to the Law Offices of Rheuban & Gresen in Los Angeles.

If you have blown the whistle and your employer retaliated in some way against you, we may be able to file a claim against them. We have extensive experience handling a wide range of employment law matters, and can effectively advise you regarding your potential whistleblower retaliation case.

Contact us through e-mail or call us at 818.815.2727 for a confidential consultation regarding your employment law concerns. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of whistleblowers throughout Southern California.

What is a Whistleblower? What is a False Claim Lawsuit?

Broadly defined, a whistleblower is a person who reports illegal activity, fraud against the government, or other wrongdoing within a company, state agency or organization. A federal law called the False Claims Act allows employees and other whistleblowers to bring a claim (a qui tam suit) in the name of all taxpayers against companies who have overbilled or defrauded the federal government.

The California False Claims Act which encourages state employees and others to combat fraud and illegal activity by bringing claims against companies engaged in wrongdoing. In successful false claim actions, whistleblowers are paid statutory rewards for their hard work and courage in combating fraud against the government.

Types of False Claims Act Cases

While there is a wide variety of activity which could constitute a false claim against the federal or California state government, the following some commonly reported activities by whistleblowers:

Medicaid and Medicare fraud	Defense contractor fraud
Healthcare fraud and nursing home fraud	Overbilling or overcharging the government
Violations of labor laws or wage and hour laws	Falsely certifying compliance with environmental regulations
Improper activities by state employees or state government	Misuse or abuse of state property or resources

What Laws Protect Whistleblowers in California?

The federal False Claims Act protects whistleblowers from retaliation because they have been involved in a Qui Tam action under the False Claims Act. The California Whistleblower Protection Act also offers protections to state employees and others who have reported certain kinds of activity. Generally, an employee is protected against retaliation for reporting: misconduct by state government, fraud against California agencies, activity which threatens the health or safety of employees or the public, misuse of government property or resources, and other illegal activity.

What Are Examples of Retaliation Against a Whistleblower? What Remedies are Available for Retaliation?

If an employer has retaliated against an employee because they stepped forward to honestly report fraud or wrongdoing, the employee may be able to file an action under California's Whistleblower Protection Act. Retaliation might include any adverse action by the employer against the employee, such as being fired or terminated, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or otherwise discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment.

Possible damages for retaliation against a whistleblower may include: reinstatement with seniority, double back pay, interest, special damages caused by discriminatory treatment, and attorneys fees and costs.

Have You Been Fired or Demoted after Filing a Qui Tam suit?

What you did was right, and what they did was wrong. So don't take this mistreatment lying down. Much of our work is in discouraging discrimination-and pursuing compensation from employers who violate anti-discrimination laws. Employer wrongdoing should not be tolerated. We can advise you regarding proper methods to record and document any information you have about potential misconduct.

If you want to discuss whether or not you should blow the whistle your work conditions have been changed after you disclosed fraud or waste by your employer, contact us today through e-mail or call 818.815.2727 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced employment law attorney.