Whistleblower Litigation
It’s Illegal for Employers to Punish Whistleblowers
Employees who report wrongdoing within or outside their employer’s organization may, unfortunately, suffer the consequences of their well-meant actions. Whistleblowers can be subjected to a variety of negative responses, including termination, demotion, reassignment, isolation, shunning and physical threats. Sometimes whistleblowers who are fired are unable to find work in their respective industries. Their reputations are ruined because they came forward and told the truth.
No one should be made to suffer for reporting corporate wrongdoing. If you’ve faced negative consequences for reporting your employer’s illegal activity, we can help. Our attorneys have the experience and legal knowledge to pursue whistleblower claims under either Massachusetts or federal law.
What is a Whistleblower?
A whistleblower can be anyone working within a company who discovers and reports illegal activity that the company does not want revealed. This includes everyone from top managers to maintenance crew members. The illegal activity can include fraud in governmental dealings, fraud to customers, environmental violations, money laundering or bribery of foreign officials.
Whistleblowers are ordinarily entitled to protection if they: (1) report the unlawful conduct to the proper authorities and/or participate in a government investigation of the unlawful activity; (2) file a lawsuit related to the unlawful activity; and/or (3) report the unlawful conduct internally within their employer’s organization – to people with authority to change the activity. Whistleblowers are also protected if they refuse to participate in the illegal activity.
Importantly, the employee need not be right that illegal activity occurred in order to be entitled to whistleblower protection. The employee need only have a good faith belief that illegal activity occurred.
What is Whistleblower Retaliation?
Whistleblower retaliation is any adverse action an employer takes against an employee who reports or refuses to participate in unlawful activity. Forms of retaliation include:
- Discipline, suspension, demotion, termination, denial of a promotion, or threats thereof
- Harassment
- Imposing additional (or harsher) standards
- Exclusion from meaningful participation in meetings and/or team activities
- Denial of, or reduction in, benefits and compensation available to other employees
- Taking away job responsibilities, pay or hours
- Assigning less desirable accounts or projects, including assigning less desirable sales opportunities to sales people
- Any other adverse action
We Fight to Protect Whistleblowers Who Are Retaliated Against
Regan Strom’s attorneys recognize the courage it takes to report an employer’s wrongdoing, and we’re proud to stand with employees who stand up to unlawful activity.
Whistleblower cases are usually complex, requiring exceptional legal representation and superior skills in the areas of financial accounting and investigation. Our attorneys are experienced in all facets of whistleblower litigation. We can investigate the details of your claim, and leverage our expertise to develop effective strategies tailored to your situation.
We understand that whistleblower cases are often very stressful for those involved, and we’re prepared to treat your case as a priority. Our goal is to take the pressure off the wronged party and focus it on the party or parties who are actually culpable in the wrongdoing.
If you’re considering whistleblowing or have been retaliated against because of whistleblowing activity, contact us for a free, confidential consultation.
