A whistleblower is a person like you who is trying to do the right thing and report illegal activity, often in the workplace. If you are concerned about being a whistleblower, you are probably worried about keeping your job while telling the truth. You need an experienced whistleblower lawyer to protect your interests. Unfortunately, whistleblower claims are difficult to prosecute in Georgia. Many states have laws that provide whistleblower protection, but Georgia has limited protection. It is an “at-will” state, meaning employers generally can fire a worker for any reason unless a specific state or federal law prevents it.
A Strong Team to Protect Whistleblowers
Being a whistleblower is not an easy endeavor and takes a lot of bravery and dedication to the truth and justice. When you are facing a business or government agency with their teams of lawyers, you need a whistleblower attorney who knows how to handle whistleblower lawsuits and protect the whistleblower successfully. You need an experienced team to handle the process properly.
Georgia Whistleblower Protection Act
The act provides special protection for whistleblower cases involving reporting wrongdoing by the state government and agencies, as well as local governments. The act covers you against retaliation if you are a public employee reporting illegal activity by your employer. HKM Employment Attorneys has experienced Atlanta whistleblower attorneys who understand this law and can get you the protection you deserve.
Georgia law also protects you from retaliation if you are reporting discrimination against disabled people. There is also protection from illegal treatment if you are calling out improper employee payment based on sex or gender.
Federal Whistleblower Protection
There are several federal government protections for whistleblowers. They include the Federal False Claims Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). You can also have other federal protection depending on the circumstances of your whistleblower claim. HKM Employment Attorneys in Atlanta can give you legal advice on your claims.
The Federal False Claims Act covers what is called qui tam cases. These involve qui tam whistleblowers who are private citizens reporting illegal actions against the federal government on behalf of the government. This is to help reduce wrongdoing in government programs.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act protects whistleblowers who are filing claims for violations of the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). When you are dealing with the SEC Whistleblower Program, you must have a legal team like HKM Employment Attorneys who is experienced with these situations. You do not want to hire an attorney who has never successfully handled an SEC claim.
The OSHA Act covers reporting violations of federal workplace safety programs and guidelines.
Experienced Whistleblower Attorney
The team at HKM Employment Attorneys is experienced in the intricacies of both Georgia and federal whistleblower laws. They understand the stress involved in pursuing a whistleblower claim and work hard to protect the truth-tellers. They will help you in this difficult time and make a complicated process easier for you. Contact them today for a consultation.