Atlanta Whistleblower Claims Lawyer

Fight Illegal Workplace Actions

If your boss asks you to do something illegal, or you see something illegal going on at your workplace, you can find yourself in an uncomfortable position. If you say nothing, someone might get hurt, the government might get ripped off, or you could even get in trouble for knowing something but doing nothing. But if you say something, your employer might retaliate against you, or even discharge you, for opening your mouth.

Fortunately, there are laws that prohibit employers from retaliating against your for blowing the whistle on illegal conduct. Known as "whistleblower" laws, there are a number of federal and state laws that may protect you if you find yourself in this sticky situation. Learn more about your rights and the protections that exist by talking to our Atlanta whistleblower attorneys at Buckley Bala Wilson Mew. We can help guide you through your claim and protect you from adverse actions and retaliations.

Schedule a case evaluation to discuss your whistleblower claim – (404) 781-1100.

OSHA Laws

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) protects whistleblowers who report certain types of unsafe conditions in the workplace. For example, if you work in a factory that contains hazardous chemicals, OSHA requires your company to take a number of safeguards to protect you, such as providing safety equipment, training you in the use of the chemicals, and maintaining documentation explaining what to do in the event of a hazardous chemical spill. If your employer does not follow these rules, and you blow the whistle on the employer, OSHA's whistleblower provisions provide you with protection against retaliation by your employer.

The False Claims Act

If your employer does business with the federal government, then your employer is covered by a number of federal laws governing how it must behave in dealing with the government. Unfortunately, some employers are tempted to cheat the government by overbilling for goods and services (remember the $800 toilet seat?) or providing inferior quality products below specified standards.

If you witness such cheating by your employer and blow the whistle, you are protected by the False Claims Act. Also known as the Qui Tam law, if you report a violation to the government and the government takes the case, you are eligible to receive a portion (usually about 15 to 25 percent) of any recovered damages. Some successful plaintiffs have recovered millions of dollars in False Claims cases.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Sarbanes-Oxley is the name of a group of federal securities laws passed in response to the Enron scandal that require detailed disclosures of financial information by publicly traded U.S. companies.

The law contains powerful anti-whistleblower provisions that provide that your employer may not retaliate against you if you:

• Provide information or assist in any investigation regarding conduct that you reasonably believe constitutes a violation of federal securities fraud statutes or SEC rules, provided the investigation is conducted by a federal regulatory or law enforcement agency, any Member of Congress or Congressional Committee, or a person with managerial authority within the publicly traded corporation; or
• File, testify, participate in, or otherwise assist in any proceeding related to an alleged violation of corporate fraud laws or regulations.

Whistleblower Claims Are Time Sensitive – Call (404) 781-1100 Today

There are a number of other federal and state employment laws that may protect you when you blow the whistle. However, it's important to note that some of these laws have extremely short statutes of limitations. Some like OSHA, can be as short as 30 days. So, if you have any question about whistleblowing, don't delay; call a law firm that has experience in this area and can take the quick action necessary to protect you. Buckley Bala Wilson Mew has this experience. We have represented whistleblowers in state and federal courts for years and have obtained favorable verdicts and settlements for many of our whistleblower clients.

Just give us a call at (404) 781-1100. We can help.