False Claims Protection Act

The Whistleblower Protection Act was enacted in 1989 by the federal government, devised to protect government employees from losing their jobs, in the case where it became necessary to report acts of misuse of federal funds or fraud by their employers. Billions of dollars have been lost because of improper use by these employers. Employees need to feel that when this type of misconduct occurs, they may be reassured that their positions in the company they work for, will not be compromised because of disclosure of useful information.

Office of the Special Council

This act created a special position in the government called the OSC or the Office of Special Council, which made it possible to investigate claims made by employees, of improper use of government funds, authority abuse, public safety and health violations, law violations, and fraud. In 2002, the Whistleblower Act expanded to the state level as well. This was referred to as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. This made the Senate Judiciary Committee realize that laws varied from state to state so this meant that changes needed to be made at this level to ensure protection.

Whistleblower Compensation

The False Claims Act allows a person to collect a reward for exposing any misconduct. The whistleblowers may collect anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of funds recovered by lawsuits involving the government. This, in turn, allows legal counsel and reporting individuals, to benefit from these wrong-doings. This becomes an important incentive to someone reporting the misuse of government funds. It is important that the employee seeks proper council before reporting any company misconduct. This is so the whistleblower may receive the proper advice necessary before any proceedings begin. This also determines whether there is sufficient evidence in order to proceed with the case.

Selecting an Attorney

Any individual with evidence of fraud against the government may file a whistleblower lawsuit. It is best to contact an attorney with experience in dealing with false claims. These attorneys can walk you through your case and connect you with the proper channels. The attorney will file confidentially in Federal Court, however, if there is already a similar lawsuit filed, you will not be able to continue with the case. The statute of limitations for acts of this nature is six years.

The Federal Government loses billions of dollars every year. Private citizens have the legal obligation to report fraud and misconduct of these companies, and they should be comfortable in knowing that there are specialized attorneys trained in matters of false claim acts. These attorneys should be considered when knowing what to do and to give an individual protection under the law. Please call for a confidential discussion and get the advice you need. False Claim Attorneys can relieve the pressure and stress of your claim and fight for the rewards that are due to their clients.