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Whistleblowers are people who come forward to report wrongdoing in an organization or company. They do this when they see something that is not right and feels like it needs to be corrected or exposed. People who blow the whistle on something that is considered unethical are often referred to as whistleblowers. These courageous individuals can be employees, contractors, vendors, or anyone else with knowledge of potential misconduct by an organization or business. A whistleblower can also be an individual who witnesses unethical behavior, such as corruption, fraud, theft of property or services, abuse of authority, violation of laws, etc. In other words – anyone who has access to the information and is willing to disclose it when they believe others are being hurt or misled.  If you are considering blowing the whistle, contact Nashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles today Importance of WhistleblowersWhen a company engages in fraud or other unethical practices and no one reports it, everyone loses. Shareholders lose since the company is less successful and less profitable. Customers and clients lose because they are given false or misleading information, so they may buy the wrong product or service. Employees lose because they are given bad information, so they cannot do their job properly, causing them to make more errors or quit their job. On the other hand, if a whistleblower reports fraud or other wrongdoings, the authorities can investigate and punish the people who are responsible for the misconduct. Whistleblowers are often thanked by companies for bringing wrongdoing to light, but sometimes whistleblowers are fired, demoted, demeaned, or ignored. Fortunately, laws exist providing protections for whistleblowers from retaliation and to compensate them for their sacrifice. Whistleblower Protection and RetaliationIn the United States, whistleblower protection is granted by the federal government in the form of the False Claims Act. This law protects employees, contractors, and others who report fraudulent activity on the part of their company or organization by prohibiting retaliation. Retaliation against a person for blowing the whistle on fraud, corruption, or other wrongdoing is a criminal offense. The law intends to encourage people to report fraud, so we can be assured that government funds are used appropriately and fraudulent or wasteful practices are stopped. Anyone can report fraud or wrongdoing under the False Claims Act, but to be protected from retaliation the report must be made to the proper authorities. Most people are unaware that the law provides strong protections for whistleblowers and that they can report fraud anonymously. If you have information about fraud against the government, report it. If your company is defrauding the government, do not let it continue. If you are considering blowing the whistle, contact whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles today. Types of WhistleblowersThere are different types of whistleblowers, depending on the situation. The major categories of whistleblowers are corporate whistleblowers, government whistleblowers, health care whistleblowers, and military whistleblowers. Corporate Whistleblowers are employees who report wrongdoing within their company or organization. They may report fraud, waste, abuse, or other misconduct that directly affects their company. Government Whistleblowers are people who report wrongdoing within the government, such as abuses of authority, misuse of funds, and misconduct on the part of elected officials, government employees, and contractors. Health Care Whistleblowers are professionals in the medical arena who report unethical or fraudulent practices within their organization, such as Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse. Military Whistleblowers are individuals who report wrongdoing or abuse of authority against service members, such as sexual assault or discrimination. Rewards for WhistleblowersWhistleblowers who report fraudulent activity against the government and other organizations often receive monetary rewards for coming forward with the information and are commonly referred to as whistleblower awards. The amount of money a whistleblower can receive is based on how much the fraudulent activity is costing the government. These are huge amounts of money, even for large companies. It is important to report fraud and be aware of the government’s reward programs. If you have information about fraud against the government, you may be able to collect a whistleblower reward. ConclusionIf you are considering blowing the whistle, contact Nashville whistleblower attorney Timothy L. Miles today and see what a Nashville whistleblower attorney can do for you. Timothy L. Miles, Esq.Timothy L. Miles is a nationally recognized shareholder rights attorney raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. Miles was recentely selected by Martindale-Hubbell® and ALM as a 2022 Top Ranked Lawyer, 2022 Top Rated Litigator. and a 2022 Elite Lawyer of the South. Mr. Miles also maintains the AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, their highest rating for both legal ability and ethics. Mr. Miles is a member of the prestigious Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers: The National Trial Lawyers Association, a superb rated attorney by Avvo, a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by Premier Lawyers of America (2019) and recognized as a Distinguished Lawyer, Recognizing Excellence in Securities Law, by Lawyers of Distinction (2019). Mr. Miles has published over sixty articles on various issues of the law, including class actions, whistleblower cases, products liability, and more. Comments are closed.
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