How the False Claims Act Protects Whistleblowers

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The False Claims Act protects whistleblowers who wish to report illegal or unethical behavior. This means you can potentially receive millions of dollars for exposing fraud.

Jason Brown is Senior Litigator and head of the law firm Brown, LLC, based in Jersey City, New Jersey. He helps people throughout the country. In this Quick Question, he explains how the False Claims Act helps protect whistleblowers.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-981-0016 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

When the federal government is defrauded, an individual can receive significant compensation for reporting it.

Reporting fraud is referred to as “whistleblowing” and can save unsuspecting victims from further financial damage. Whistleblowing describes when an employee reports or openly complains about illegal conduct at work, usually by superiors; in some scenarios, this conduct may defraud consumers or even the federal government, like in the cases which Brown refers to here. There are a variety of specific laws in place which prohibit employers from firing whistleblowers in retaliation depending on the issue.

Under the False Claims Act, any individual who blows the whistle and brings the case forward could receive what is referred to as a “whistleblower” award. Blowing the whistle can be frightening and comes with inherent risks, particularly to a person’s job and livelihood. This is why it is important for a potential whistleblower to consult with a whistleblower attorney before taking action; this can protect the individual from all kinds of dangers, including employer retaliation. These attorneys know what kind of evidence is necessary to prove that fraud has occurred, as well as how to safely obtain that evidence.

In 2018-2019, the average settlement for cases regarding defrauding of the federal government was roughly $13 million.

Whistleblowers for these cases could receive up to 20% of the total settlement. As Brown puts it, this is a $2.6 million reward for doing the right thing. Even if an employer does attempt to retaliate against an employee for blowing the whistle, the Whistleblower Protection Act exists to hold these employers accountable and protect employees from further damage. Despite the risks involved in being a whistleblower, the benefits from a successful case are significant. If you suspect fraud, reach out to a whistleblower attorney to learn more about your situation as well as the next steps you can take.

To learn more, contact Jason Brown directly by calling 888-981-0016 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Video Transcript:

Rob Rosenthal:

What is the False Claims Act and how does it help whistleblowers? We asked attorney Jason Brown in this AskTheLawyers.com™ Quick Question.

Jason Brown:

So anything in which the government, particularly the federal government is defrauded economically, a taxpayer, an individual, can bring this action under the False Claims Act, and they can get a percentage of what the government recovers as a whistleblower award.

And if you look at the average amount that these cases settle for, thinking 2018-2019, the average amount when the government intervened was roughly $13 million. Whistleblower could obtain 20% of that, that's a $2.6 million whistleblower award for doing the right thing.

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