Just because Florida is an at-will state and you can be terminated for no reason, you cannot be fired for reporting fraudulent activity by your employer. Retaliation is illegal, as is harassment, to get you to quit your job. If you join the ranks of America’s whistleblowers, you are potentially saving lives, taxpayer’s money, and scams that harm how a free market is supposed to work.
Your claim could be as simple as discovering your employer is deducting payroll taxes but not remitting them to the government or as complicated as a securities scheme to defraud countless investors. If you suspected your employer of skullduggery and were terminated soon after sharing your suspicions or facts, our diligent wrongful firing attorneys can intercede after your wrongful termination for reporting fraud in Tampa.
Examples of Fraud Whistleblowers
Whenever people discover a way to make a lot of money by nefarious means, some of them invariably will. Employers may short employees’ overtime pay or claim business losses that are not, but the most common cases of fraud involve:
- Healthcare fraud, including kickbacks in violation of state and federal Stark laws, billing for services not provided, and overbilling
- Financial and securities fraud, including Ponzi schemes, ‘cooking the books’ insider trading, and market manipulation
- Wage and hour fraud, including denying employees overtime, paying less than minimum wage, and misclassifying employees as independent contractors
- Tax fraud, including non-existent deductions, tax evasion, and falsifying business income
- Environmental fraud, including falsifying environmental reports, violating regulations, and dumping toxic material illegally
The federal False Claims Act (FCA) and the Dodd-Frank Act provide safe havens for whistleblowers, making it unlawful for employers to retaliate for reporting fraud. These protections extend beyond being fired and include:
- Demotions
- Harassment
- Discrimination
- Withholding benefits
- Other sanctions without an explanation
Employees who are wrongfully terminated or harassed for reporting fraud in Tampa should consult a proactive lawyer at Feldman Legal Group for assistance in filing complaints or lawsuits against unscrupulous employers.
Additional Protection for Whistleblowers
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) investigates complaints associated with employer retaliation against a whistleblower. Employers can be sanctioned, fined, and ordered to reinstate employees they fire.
Additionally, whistleblowers may be able to file lawsuits under the False Claims Act. If they were terminated or demoted, they may be entitled to get their jobs back. The court has the ability to award twice the back pay lost after termination or demotion, the interest on the back pay, and attorney’s fees.
Qui Tam Lawsuits
Whistleblowers who uncover fraud against the U.S. government may also be able to file qui tam lawsuits on behalf of the government. These suits are often filed against employers who defraud the government under loan programs, such as the rampant fraud discovered in the Paycheck Protection Program under the CARES Act, which offered various employers loans to hire back employees laid off because of COVID-19. The whistleblower is often entitled to a reward for such actions. Contact our skilled Tampa attorney at Feldman Legal Group to discuss wrongful termination for reporting fraud in the workplace.
Seek Help After a Wrongful Firing for Reporting Fraud in Tampa
You are protected if your employer retaliates against you for reporting they are engaging in fraudulent activities. The activities can be as simple as refusing to pay overtime to hourly employees and as complex as bilking a healthcare system like Medicare. Different remedies are available.
You may be able to sue your employer or file a complaint with government agencies to investigate. You could be reinstated or be awarded damages in a lawsuit. The only way to know what your options are is to consult an experienced legal professional at Feldman Legal Group after a wrongful termination for reporting fraud in Tampa.
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