Orange County Whistleblower Attorney

As an employee, you might often feel like you don’t have the freedom to report illegal or fraudulent activity that you’ve witnessed by your employer. Many people are afraid of retaliation if they want to say something about what might be going on in the workplace. Legally, an employer is prohibited from retaliating against whistleblowers. You should be protected. Many employers who are engaged in fraudulent or illegal activity might not take too kindly to an employee reporting nefarious activities, so they may end up illegally terminating you or retaliating against you.

If you’ve experienced this kind of behavior by an employer, it’s essential to contact an attorney immediately. Sessions & Kimball can help you. Contact our Orange County whistleblower attorneys by using our online contact form or calling us at (949) 380-0900 for a free consultation today.

What Is A Whistleblower?

Simply put, a whistleblower is an employee who reveals corporate wrongdoing to law enforcement or someone else who has the authority to investigate the claims. The wrongdoing often includes corruption, racial discrimination, sexual harassment, or fraud. While these are the most common types of workplace abuse, whistleblowing is the reporting of any safety or legal violation.

Why You Need A Lawyer

When you witness illegal or fraudulent activity that your employer is engaging in, you may feel compelled to report it. While this may be the right thing to do, it’s possible that an employer will not take kindly to this and will try to retaliate against you. It’s crucial for you to know the laws regarding speaking out, and it’s vital to know what legal protections you have. You should never have to worry about losing your job because you’ve reported something that needs to be exposed, regarding illegal or improper actions by your employer.

If this is a concern, contact an Orange County whistleblower lawyer immediately. It might be a good idea to get a free consultation before you report the behavior so you can protect yourself from being fired if you believe your employer might try to retaliate. Sessions & Kimball is highly experienced in dealing with whistleblower cases, so don’t hesitate to reach out for a free consultation.

The Whistleblower Protection Act

The California Whistleblower Protection Act gives the California Statute Auditor the authority to investigate complaints about illegal or improper governmental activities. It also protects state employees from retaliation if they file a complaint about illegal activities they’ve witnessed. Retaliation can include termination, threats or intimidation, failing to promote someone, poor performance evaluations, or any other adverse employment action or form of disciplinary action.

The False Claims Act

Whistleblowers are also protected federally under the False Claims Act. This law, originally created in 1863, has a provision called “qui tam” that applies directly to whistleblowers. The provision allows any person to file a lawsuit on behalf of the U.S. government if the fraud they are exposing is something that financially hurts the government. Essentially the government offers, in exchange for bringing to justice anyone defrauding them, a reward between 15-30% of the money recuperated.

What You’re Entitled To If Your Employer Retaliates

If you’ve been retaliated against by your employer for reporting a violation, you might be entitled to compensation, such as lost wages, benefits, and attorney’s fees. Additionally, if the court determines that your employer acted maliciously, they may award punitive damages as well, in order to deter the employer from engaging in this behavior in the future.

Our Whistleblower Attorneys Will Protect You

If you reported your employer for violating the law or engaging in fraud and you are being retaliated against, it’s important to contact an experienced Orange County whistleblower lawyer immediately. Sessions & Kimball can help protect you. Civil rights employee protections are at the core of our legal practice.

Our employment attorneys stand up for employees every day to secure justice for our clients, protect other employees, educate workers about problematic workspaces, and set a standard in the community for a better society. Contact our office by using our online contact form or call us at (949) 380-0900 to schedule a free consultation today.