Many clients did not set out to become a "whistleblower". They started as conscientious employees, managers, and executives who perceived a problem with how their employer was doing business. They tried to correct the problem believing that the boss was simply making a mistake about how to account for costs on a contract, or by mis-billing, or for some similar error in judgment when dealing with the government's money. They soon found themselves demoted or fired without any explanation; and it was only through the process of looking back at what was done to them that they fully appreciated that the employer was committing a fraud and that they themselves are victims of retaliation.
That sort of backlash is so common for whistleblowers that most state False Claims Acts and the federal FCA contain specific rules prohibiting retaliation, and those same protections are incorporated into numerous recently adopted whistleblower laws as well. While many of these laws give whistleblowers very good claims to pursue in a lawsuit (such as rights to double back pay and punitive damages) they do very little to actually stop retaliation when it starts or to restore a whistleblower's employment status once an employer has improperly acted out.
That is why Loevy & Loevy's first priority for our whistleblower clients is to preserve your employment situation if at all possible. Like everyone else, whistleblowers have families and obligations. They need to be able to earn a living and advance their careers. When you contact us we can advise you on your options and how best to stay in your job. And, if you involve us early in the process, we may be able to seek an injunction from a court to stop the retaliation. Ultimately, your best move might be not to file a whistleblower case at all.
Whatever the situation, you will receive the benefit of our attorneys' collective experience and our best advice. Also, because we are a contingency law firm, you never have to pay us out of pocket, even if our ultimate mutual decision is not to file a case. If we do go forward, we will be partners with you in your case.
Many would-be whistleblowers are also properly concerned about protecting themselves from the outset by remaining anonymous from their employers. Some statutes expressly permit a whistleblower to proceed anonymously, while others do not. We can answer your questions about remaining anonymous from employers and others.
If you have any questions or wish to consult about a case, please contact us at (312) 243-5900 or email us at Whistleblower@Loevy.com. We treat all inquiries as privileged and confidential attorney-client communications. We work only on a contingency basis, so you will never be required to pay out of pocket for our services.
