When A Federal Employee Turns Whistleblower
When a federal employee wishes to come forward with information pertaining to fraud against the government, they may benefit from hiring a federal employee lawyer in order to protect their rights. This act of coming forward is referred to as whistleblowing. Before taking on the role of whistleblower, the federal employee often has many questions, and understandably so — particularly as there may be risks involved. If you are considering whether or not to report fraud or other wrongdoing in your workplace at a federal agency, contact a federal employee lawyer and request a consultation. In the meantime, below is some general information which may be helpful to you.
Understanding Federal Whistleblowing
When a federal employee or a federal contractor chooses to report prohibited or illegal activity on the part of their employer, this is considered whistleblowing. Though they are an employee of a federal agency or contractor who wishes to report their employer, they are, in fact, protected by federal law in their whistleblowing efforts. Wrongdoing can take many forms, as a federal employee lawyer might explain. Here are some of the most common examples of whistleblowing:
- An abuse of authority
- A gross waste of financial resources or funds
- Gross mismanagement
- Violation of a rule, regulation, or law
How Federal Laws Protect Employee Whistleblowers
In 1989, the U.S. Congress passed the Whistleblower Protection Act. Since that time, in 2012 Congress also passed the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act. The latter expanded protection to Transportation Security Administration employees, closed several loopholes in the original legislation, and strengthened the Office of Special Counsel.
These laws are intended to protect individuals from retaliation as a result of whistleblowing. If you have reported illegal or unethical activity of some kind, and in the process gained whistleblower status, you have a right to protection from retaliation. A good federal employee lawyer can help protect your rights if they are infringed upon or violated.
If a federal agency representative retaliates against you in some way in response to your whistleblowing, or even threatens to do so, their actions are illegal. A federal employee lawyer can be your legal representative and pursue just compensation for your damages, whether that be a loss in income or job, emotional pain, or other losses.
Methods for Whistleblowing
If you have not yet reported the wrongdoing of a federal agency representative, there are several ways to do so:
- Contact a federal employee lawyer to help you decide the best method for your circumstances to step forward as a whistleblower.
- Report the illegal activity to a supervisor.
- Report the illegal activity to the Inspector General.
- Report the illegal activity to the Office of Special Counsel.
Protect Your Rights as a Whistleblower
If you have not yet come forward as a whistleblower, contact a lawyer, like a whistleblower retaliation claim lawyer in Washington DC from Eric Siegel Law, right away. A good federal employee lawyer can guide you through the process, help make sure you are collecting sufficient documentation to prove your allegations, and protect your rights.