A Jacksonville whistleblower protection lawyer from Cruz Law Firm, P.A. can help you if you are considering filing a whistleblower claim or facing retaliation for reporting corruption in your workplace. The federal “Whistleblower Protection Act,” Florida’s “Whistle-blower’s Act,” and other protections make it illegal to retaliate against an employee or contractor who reports wrongdoing that impacts the public.
Taking a stand against an employer can be difficult, but Cruz Law Firm is committed to standing with you and doing whatever the law allows to demand justice and accountability for you. Every citizen should understand their rights, their role in rooting out wrongdoing, and the legal protections that allow them to act.
If you know about corruption in the Jacksonville area that should be brought to light, Cruz Law can protect your rights and help you come forward. Contact our Florida whistleblower lawyers for a confidential consultation today.
The Basics of Whistleblower Claims
Whistleblowing is disclosing information that you reasonably believe is evidence of an organization’s:
- Fraud
- Waste
- Abuse
- Corruption
- Wrongdoing
- Illegal or unethical activity
- Endangering of people’s health and safety
Whistleblowers who suffer retaliation may pursue compensation and other legal relief from their employer.
The False Claims Act also allows private citizens to file lawsuits on behalf of the government against individuals or entities that have defrauded the government. A whistleblower whose complaint saves the government money may be rewarded with a portion of the proceeds recovered due to information they provided.
Common Types of Employer Misconduct Subject to Whistleblower Claims
When citizens from Jacksonville and the Florida Panhandle come forward with whistleblower complaints, they are typically about an employer’s:
- Workplace health and safety violations, including OSHA violations
- Improper disposal of hazardous waste, pollution, or other environmental violations
- Financial fraud or misconduct within the company, such as tax evasion or fraudulent claims for reimbursement from government programs like Medicare
- Violations of securities laws and regulations or acts of securities fraud
- Workplace discrimination or harassment of employees or job applicants
Whistleblower complaints must start with the appropriate governmental investigative body. Every governmental agency dedicates personnel and resources to investigating and resolving whistleblower claims. However, agencies’ rules and requirements for claims vary. Dealing with online claim portals or overworked government officials bound by complex regulations can be confusing and frustrating.
A Cruz Law whistleblower claims lawyer can explain your legal options for reporting your employer’s misconduct to authorities and make sure you know what to expect. We can help you gather evidence of your employer’s unethical behavior, file your claim, and represent you as you interact with government regulators and investigators.
If you suffer negative actions from an employer after filing a whistleblower claim, Cruz Law will help you document what happens and your losses. Our team can then aggressively pursue a retaliation claim on your behalf for maximum financial recovery and other appropriate relief.
Understanding Whistleblower Retaliation
It is not uncommon for an employee who has made a good-faith whistleblower claim to face retaliation from their employer. Most employers know retaliation is illegal, so it is unusual for an employer to immediately fire someone who has filed a whistleblower complaint – though it happens. But there are ways to make a whistleblower’s continued employment uncomfortable, such as by:
- Withholding or withdrawing work opportunities
- Ordering transfers to less favorable positions or duties
- Setting unreasonable deadlines or deliverables
- Increasing scrutiny of job performance
- Giving negative performance appraisals or imposing performance-improvement-plans
- Denying training, educational, or travel opportunities
- Denying raises, bonuses, or commissions
- Denying promotions
- Spreading reputation-damaging rumors
- Threatening reputational, financial, or physical harm
- Filing lawsuits, such as for breach of contract or misappropriation of intellectual property
A whistleblower pursuing a lawsuit against their employer for retaliation must be ready to demonstrate that they engaged in “protected activity” by filing a good-faith whistleblower complaint and that their employer’s adverse actions against them were a direct result of the complaint.
Available Remedies for Whistleblowers Following Retaliation
In a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit Cruz Law Firm pursues on your behalf, we could demand damages and legal relief for:
- Back pay lost due to unlawful transfer, suspension, termination, or other acts of retaliation for filing a whistleblower case
- Front pay for money lost due to wrongful termination or lost employment opportunities and career advancement
- Compensation for emotional distress and suffering
- Legal expenses
- Reinstatement to your former position
Steps Toward a Whistleblower Complaint or Retaliation Lawsuit
Documentation will be key to ensure the government takes action to correct the wrongdoing you reported or to demonstrate retaliation against you. If you are legally allowed, you should gather copies of:
- Your or others’ previous internal complaints about the whistleblowing topic
- Emails, texts, call records, meeting notes, activity logs, work orders, letters, and other communications related to your complaint or retaliation
- Names and phone numbers of any witnesses who can support your claims
- Names, titles, and contact information for management officials who took action you are complaining about or you made previous reports or complaints of wrongdoing to
- A current description of your job duties
- The employer’s handbook for employees or collective bargaining agreement
- Any hiring, transfer, or termination letters you have received
- Any performance reviews or disciplinary actions you have received
- Your last few pay stubs
Your Florida whistleblower lawyer can help you compile and file your complaint with the proper governmental agency. As your complaint is processed, we will counsel and advocate for you at each point of contact with government regulators and investigators.
If you have suffered retaliation after acting as a whistleblower in good faith, we can help you make things right, including by filing a lawsuit for damages if necessary.
Contact Our Experienced Jacksonville Whistleblower Attorneys Today
If your employer has engaged in unethical, illegal, or unsafe behavior, you have the right – and potentially a duty – to blow the whistle on them. We understand that standing up for the greater good and what’s right is not always easy or popular. But Cruz Law Firm is here to help and protect you if you have reason to pursue a whistleblower complaint in Jacksonville or elsewhere in Northern Florida. We can also help you seek legal relief and protect you if your employer retaliates against you for engaging in protected whistleblowing activity.
Our attorneys have nearly 20 years of experience and commitment to protecting Jacksonville-based whistleblowers and helping other hardworking Floridians like you obtain justice despite the complexities of employment law. We have recovered millions on their behalf, including a $640,000 settlement for whistleblower retaliation. Past clients call our attorneys “very caring, honest, and transparent.” Contact Cruz Law today for a confidential and no-obligation consultation about your rights and legal options.