Jacksonville Whistleblower Lawyer
It can be a terrifying and seemingly insurmountable task to accomplish. Furthermore, it is something that cannot be done alone. A whistleblower is a person (or group) that has intimate knowledge of a company defrauding the government. They can sue on behalf of the government and receive a cut of the compensation, which can be an incredibly large amount of money. As stated above, becoming a successful whistleblower is a very difficult task and you will need the help of a large, powerful, and aggressive law firm. The successful Jacksonville whistleblower lawyers of The Pendas Law Firm have been around for years and have countless victories behind them. The Pendas Law Firm has offices in Orlando, Fort Myers, Tampa, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale & Miami.
Defining Fraud
The False Claims Act is a federal law that punishes companies and individuals for defrauding the government, according to the Cornell Legal Information Institute. It is the government’s foremost tool in bringing punishment against fraudulent companies and fraudulent members inside a government agency, and for discouraging fraud to occur in the first place. While its primary goal is to decrease taxpayer dollars from being wasted and lining the pockets of corporations and individuals, it also serves as a monetary incentive (generally 15-25 percent of the lawsuit earnings) for every employee to keep an eye on their employer in the scenario that they are engaging in illegal activities. Defrauding the government can include the following:
- IRS Fraud/Tax Evasion;
- Overbilling Medicare/Medicaid;
- TARP Funds Fraud;
- Failing to pay overtime benefits when they are due;
- Defense Contract Overcharging;
- Aerospace Contract Overcharging;
- Pharmaceutical/Health Care Fraud; and
- Violating an Environmental Protection Law.
Fraud also happens within government agencies. The most famous whistleblowing case is known as Deep Throat of the Watergate incident of the 1970s. Deep Throat was the codename given to the secret informant who gave information on Richard Nixon and his party’s involvement in the Watergate scandal and their attempt to use illegal methods to win reelection in the upcoming presidential campaign. The identity of Deep Throat, FBI member Mark Felt, was kept secret for 31 years after the incident in order to protect his security.
Protections Guaranteed By the Federal Government and Florida State Law
The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 protects government employees, and private sector employees whose work is in relation to the federal government, when blowing the whistle on their employer or other government agency. Similarly, Florida statute 112.3187 provides protection for individuals filing suit against a company for defrauding the government. As such, agencies and independent contractors are not allowed to take retaliatory action against an employee who reports on a company’s illegal actions that result in the public’s health, safety, or welfare, or the gross misuse of funds or any other gross neglect of duty on the part of a company. Retaliation can include demotions, firing, decreased pay, moving the employee to another area, or other retaliatory measures that may negatively affect the employee’s future career.
Contact our Jacksonville Whistleblower Lawyers Today
If you have information about your employer’s fraudulent actions, call The Pendas Law Firm today at 1-844-200-0000 to speak with an experienced Jacksonville whistleblower claims lawyer. The most popular lawyers of Jacksonville will help protect your rights and work aggressively on your behalf throughout the entirety of your case.
