National Whistleblower Appreciation Day Declared to Ensure Recognition of Enormous Contribution to the Democracy by Whistleblowers, Parker Waichman LLP Comments
Port Washington, New York (PRWEB) July 31, 2014 -- Parker Waichman, LLP, a national law firm that represents whistleblowers in qui tam cases, comments that whistleblowers are a critical component of the process that puts an end to illegal employer activities that may cause harm to consumers and may defraud the government, and recognizes that today is National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.
According to a 2013 report issued by The National Whistleblower Center, the Senate declared "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" on July 30, 2013; the resolution was reached by unanimous agreement on July 31, 2013. The Center indicated that it strongly supports the Senate action and urges all Americans to consider the enormous contribution that Whistleblowers have made to democracy in this country, as well as the long known struggles and sacrifices Whistleblowers have faced.
The resolution, known as S.Res.202, both designated "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" and resolved that the Senate would ensure that the federal government implement what the Founding Founders had intended in their July 30, 1778 legislation; that the government’s executive agencies ensure that the public and employees and contractors who work on behalf of the country’s taxpayers, understand the legal rights of this country’s citizen to operate as whistleblowers; and that there is acknowledgment of the many contributions whistleblowers make to fight waste, fraud, abuse, and violations of the laws and regulations of the United States, The National Whistleblower Center explained.
In a statement celebrating last year’s passage of the "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" Resolution, NWC Executive Director Stephen M. Kohn stated, in part, that, "In honor of ‘National Whistleblower Appreciation Day' we urge all Americans to reflect on these past sacrifices and accomplishments and show support for the whistleblowers today who are fighting to defend their reputations, their jobs, and their freedom after exposing lies at the highest levels of government and frauds that have robbed tax-payers and investors of countless billions. The Senate's establishment of ‘National Whistleblower Appreciation Day' is a historic first step in changing the hostile workplace culture that had made it so difficult on American's to fulfill the ‘duty,' recognized by our Founding Fathers, to blow the whistle in the public interest."
The False Claims Act provides whistleblowers with protection and the ability to be compensated for their work. Passed in 1863 during the Civil War, the Act includes a number of amendments added in 1986 that increased damage and penalty amounts meant to help induce whistleblowers to come forward. With whistleblower awards ranging 15-30 percent of damage and penalty amounts, whistleblowers may receive awards in the millions of dollars, notes Parker Waichman LLP.
The Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Law also enables whistleblowers who report a securities fraud complaint to remain anonymous when working through a whistleblower attorney. In fact, not only is a whistleblower attorney necessary for whistleblower confidentiality, your attorney may help to increase the award size. Also under the Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Law, anonymity is maintained until a cash award is paid. Once the award is paid, the whistleblower name must be released. Should the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) opt against pursuing a securities fraud action, the whistleblower name will never be released.
Whistleblowers have been crucial in assisting the federal government in recovering billions of dollars illegally obtained by drug and device makers, consumer product manufacturers, and other businesses, and have also helped in saving the lives of untold numbers of consumers who were unaware of the side effects of their medical devices, the medications they were prescribed, and the products to which they were exposed. Whistleblower lawyers have been equally important in maintaining whistleblower anonymity in these cases.
“When companies exert abuses of power or take part in illegal or unethical financial activities, they not only defraud the government, they are defrauding unsuspecting tax payers,” said Gary Falkowitz, Managing Attorney at Parker Waichman LLP. “Parker Waichman LLP has long supported whistleblower efforts to report illegal activities that may harm citizens and defraud government programs and firmly believes that whistleblowers play a necessary role in holding these parties responsible.”
Parker Waichman LLP supports efforts to protect whistleblowers and offers free legal evaluations to those individuals who believe their companies may be involved in wrongdoings. If you believe that a consumer product manufacturer, a medical device maker, or a pharmaceutical company is committing fraudulent activities and would like to maintain your anonymity, we encourage you to contact us at the firm’s Whistleblower page at yourlawyer.com or call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636).
Gary Falkowitz, Parker Waichman LLP, http://yourlawyer.com, +1 (800) 529-4636, [email protected]
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