Monthly Archives: February 2017
Court Decision Indicates Privilege Claim Exists in an Internal Investigation Case
A recent court decision in Canada provided an interesting case study for whistleblower issues and post-accident investigations within businesses and organizations. Workplace accidents may result in work stop orders, prosecution, civil suits, workers’ compensation claims and administrative penalties. Because of this, employers have been increasingly likely to carry out “privileged” investigations to obtain legal advice […]
Whistleblower Collects Award Worth $900,000 from SEC
In the latest U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) whistleblower award, an unidentified insider received $900,000 for his or her role in uncovering corporate or agency wrongdoing. According to the SEC, the whistleblower provided key information that played a role in helping the agency bring successful enforcement actions against several parties. The agency announced the […]
Appeals Court Clarification Strengthens Whistleblower Protections for Federal Employees
The recent U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decision in Miller v. Department of Justice offered some clarification as to the standard for how to determine if an agency met its responsibility under the Whistleblower Protection Act to demonstrate it would have taken the same action with its personnel in the absence of […]
Recent SEC Whistleblower Award Worth Nearly $1 Million
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced one of its latest whistleblower awards, worth more than $900,000. In this case, a whistleblower’s tip helped the SEC bring multiple enforcement actions against various parties. Per federal law, the SEC did not release the name of the whistleblower or any information on the case that […]
Doctors Split $2.7 Million False Claims Act Settlement
Two doctors will split a $2.7 million award after winning a False Claims Act lawsuit in which they claimed another physician at a nonprofit hospital in Florida was performing unnecessary cardiac studies and procedures. The total settlement was worth $12 million. The doctors filed the lawsuit against South Miami Hospital and one of its physicians […]
Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Program 2016 Report Shows Rise in Activity
On November 15, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued its yearly report on the Office of the Whistleblower, created through the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010. Under the program, anyone who submits original information that directly results in enforcement actions for securities violations leading to fines of more than $1 million is eligible for […]
Federal Government Lauds GAP Whistleblower for Veterans Affairs Disclosures
Brandon Coleman, a Government Accountability Project (GAP) client who made national news when he exposed illicit practices at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, has been recognized for his role as a whistleblower. On December 5, Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner issued a issued a special report to President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress regarding […]
Corporate Whistleblower Center Encourages Physicians, Health Care Professionals to Come Forward
The Corporate Whistleblower Center, an advocacy group that aims to protect whistleblowers against retaliation, is encouraging more professionals within the health care industry to come forward when they discover wrongdoing within their organizations. In a recent news release, the center urged physicians, health care managers and other professionals to call its offices whenever they find […]
