The Incentives of Becoming a Whistleblower

If you become aware of wrongdoing within your company or organization it can be an understandably difficult or uncomfortable decision to blow the whistle.

But if you do decide to become a whistleblower, it may well become very worth your while. In addition to the legal protections whistleblowers have available to them under federal law, there are some other incentives you should consider when weighing your decision to move forward with a whistleblower report.

These incentives include:

  • Financial awards: Whistleblowers who come forward with information are often eligible to receive a percentage of what the government recoups. This could be anywhere from 10 to 30 percent of the amount collected, depending on the type of case and where you make your report. There is no cap on the amount you can recover in a qui tam case.
  • Legal protections: There has never been a safer time for whistleblowers to come forward with their information, and whistleblower protections are constantly increasing. It is illegal to take any kind of adverse action against employees for engaging in protected whistleblower activity. Some examples of protected issues on which you can report include environmental protection, employee safety, wage violations, health insurance, fraud or corruption, discrimination, FMLA issues and consumer product safety.
  • Preventing waste: All taxpayers have a vested interest in reducing waste. Government spending can be ballooned by fraudulent schemes, so putting a stop to those schemes helps reduce waste.
  • Satisfaction: It can be a very cathartic and satisfying feeling to know you’re doing what’s right and that you’re playing a role in delivering justice. If you know something is wrong, the right thing to do is speak up.

Interested in learning more about how you could benefit from becoming a whistleblower? Contact an experienced whistleblower lawyer at Kardell Law Group to learn more about starting your claim.