Whistleblower Protection Provided by Stimulus Bill

Washington, D.C. Qui Tam Attorneys

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, commonly known as the 2009 Stimulus Bill) is one of the largest financial commitments the US government has ever made to the private sector. The legislation is designed to pay companies to hire people to do work that will not only help the US recover from recession, but also provide long-term benefits for the country. However, there are many people who look at the $10 trillion package as an opportunity for fraud. We as a country depend on you as a whistleblower to report fraud and bring it to our attention, and the ARRA has built-in protections so that you as a whistleblower may not only be rewarded, but will not be punished for your actions.

To learn more about the details of protections provided under the Stimulus Bill, please call or email the whistleblower attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C. today.

You Will Be Protected

If you know about fraud being conducted by a state or local government, a contractor, a subcontractor, or other recipient of federal funds, you can be protected against reprisals for your action of reporting that fraud. You cannot be fired, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against in retaliation for reporting fraud with a whistleblower lawsuit.

The lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, and Siegel, P.C. will assist you in taking advantage of this protection, including reporting the fraud to:

The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board
An inspector general
The Comptroller General
A Congress member
A state or federal regulatory agency
A state or federal law enforcement agency
A court or grand jury

And the information must be reasonable evidence of fraud, defined as:

Gross mismanagement of federal funds
Gross waste of federal funds
A use of federal funds that leads to a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety
An abuse of authority related to the use of federal funds
A violation of law, rule, or regulation related to contracts or competition for a contract for federal funds

If you note significant fraud and it is investigated by the government, you may be eligible to receive between 15% and 25% of the amount recovered. If the government does not help in your investigation, but you proceed on your own, you may receive between 15% and 30% of the amount recovered.

Protection under the Stimulus Bill

The ARRA includes a specific provision protecting you against reprisals if you report fraud. This includes protection against reprisals such as being fired, being demoted, being docked pay, or any other form of on-the-job discrimination. If you believe you have suffered a reprisal, the government might order your employer to rehire you, compensate you for lost time, benefits, and other losses. If the government does not pursue action in your case, you still have the right to pursue a civil action under the law with the lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C.

If you believe you are aware of fraud being committed, file a whistleblower lawsuit. The attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel, P.C. are prepared to help. Please contact us today.

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Whistleblower Protection Provided by Stimulus Bill

Washington, D.C. Qui Tam Attorneys