Midwest

The term whistleblower is used to describe a person who informs the public, law enforcement, or a government official about corruption, illegal activities, unethical practices, or general misconduct within a public or private organization. There are many different levels of wrongdoing that a whistleblower may report on: fraud, waste, abuse, embezzlement, diversion, obfuscation, safety violations, or any other acts that violate the public interest.

Whistleblowers in the Spotlight

Public opinion regarding whistleblowers is generally mixed. While there is some degree of legal protection for whistleblowers, their moral stance and actions are often subject to self-sacrifice and retaliation. In the case of famous internal whistleblowers like Jeffrey Wigand, the public recognized the importance of his actions when he alerted the news media about the increased levels of nicotine his employer knowingly used in manufacturing process of cigarettes. Wigand's whistleblowing also brought discord to his life as he was summarily fired by his employer, experienced harassment, and even received death threats.

Protection of the Law

Whistleblowers often act alone, at risk, and unsupported. Due to the dangerous consequences they may face for their actions and the perceived importance of their actions, a set of laws have been enacted to offer them some level of protection. In the United States, the False Claims Act dates back to the Civil War and it even promises a portion of any goods or funds recovered by the government to the whistleblower. Several states have some sort of statutory relief for whistleblowers that at least protects them from undue retaliation. Even the Uniform Code of Military Justice allows service members to communicate privately with US congressional representatives. Even with these protective laws in place whistleblowers may be vulnerable to civil lawsuits and/or overzealous prosecution, and thus it is highly recommended that they obtain legal representation.