Potential Whistleblowers, Proceed with Caution, Warns Mississippi Qui Tam Lawyer
Some of the most famous whistleblowers have changed the course of history by bringing down powerful political figures, exposing violations of human rights and sending corporations into bankruptcy. While most whistleblowers do not become household names, there are often violations of ethics and laws that would go unchecked and unpunished if not for people willing to risk themselves to stop a wrongful practice from continuing.
Without whistleblowers, corporations could violate safety and environmental regulations, and defraud customers, and governments could violate people’s rights and cheat our democracy. The importance of whistleblowers is recognized by many laws and statutes that are designed to protect whistleblowers from workplace retaliation. Without protections, many people would be reluctant to expose their employers because they would fear losing their job, being demoted or not being promoted when they deserved to be.
Even though whistleblowers are protected, it is possible that a potential whistleblower could go about attempting to expose his or her employer in a way that would be a legal violation in and of itself. It is important that whistleblowers speak out, but they should do so in ways that protect themselves.
Evidence
If you believe you are in the position to be a whistleblower, you probably have some evidence of wrongdoing. Perhaps you have emails or other documentation of the things that you believe amount to a violation. On the other hand, you might wish to find more evidence to support your case before you come forward. In attempting to collect evidence of your employer’s violations, you could end up breaking the law yourself. If you video, record, or photograph co-workers without their knowledge, this could get you into trouble in some instances. Additionally, if you signed a confidentiality agreement with your employer, you should be careful that you are not violating that agreement before you have done everything to protect yourself. At the same time, you could find yourself in trouble for partaking in the illegal actions of your employer, even if you are only doing so in order to get more evidence.
Your best bet is to speak with a whistleblower attorney in order to determine whether you should seek more evidence, and what actions you can and cannot take in order to collect more evidence.
Loose lips
Another way you can find yourself in trouble is by speaking casually to friends or colleagues about the violations that are occurring. In these cases, you run the risk of having your intentions exposed to your employer and potentially having some of the evidence disappear before the wrongdoers are caught. It is also possible that someone might decide to expose the violation before you, putting your whistleblower protections at risk. There are also some claims that offer a whistleblower a reward for coming forward. This could entice someone to speak out especially if they believe that you are going to anyway.
If you believe you have witnessed violations of the law that need to be exposed, you should reach out to an experienced whistleblower attorney in order to determine the best and safest course of action for you to take. Contact the seasoned Mississippi Qui Tam Lawyer at Barrett Law PLLC now at (800) 707-9577 to learn more about your legal options.