What Qualifies as a Whistleblower Complaint?

You qualify to make a whistleblower complaint if you have information that you reasonably believe is evidence of fraud or illegal activities occurring at your place of work.

Determining whether you have a legitimate complaint can be difficult, especially if you are unfamiliar with the whistleblower process.

Fortunately, a skilled Baltimore whistleblower lawyer can review your unique situation and advise you on whether you have a valid complaint.

Let’s take a closer look at what qualifies as a whistleblower complaint and how an experienced attorney can help you raise the alarm about unlawful practices at your place of work.

Understanding What Qualifies as a Whistleblower Complaint

As mentioned above, you’re eligible to make a whistleblower complaint if you reasonably believe you have evidence that individuals at your workplace are taking part in fraud or illegal activities.

To gain a deeper understanding of what qualifies as a whistleblower complaint, you can learn about the types of complaints you can file under the False Claims Act (FCA).

The FCA provides protections to whistleblowers, ensuring they aren’t retaliated against for blowing the whistle on illegal activities at work. Here are several types of whistleblower complaints you can file under the FCA:

Government Fraud

If you believe you have information regarding government fraud, you may qualify to file a whistleblower complaint. Types of government fraud that may warrant a complaint include cross-charging between contracts, violations of wage laws, and overbilling for goods or services.

Medical Fraud

Medical fraud is another activity that you may be able to file a complaint about. The types of medical fraud you can file a whistleblower complaint for include, but are not limited to, billing for services that were not provided, falsifying patient records or test results, and billing for phantom patients.

IRS Fraud

You may also be eligible to file a whistleblower complaint to raise the alarm about Internal Revenue Service (IRS) fraud. Types of IRS fraud that you can file a complaint about include false reporting, failing to file employment tax returns, and misclassifying employees as independent contractors.

Evidence You Need to File a Whistleblower Complaint

To determine if you qualify to file a whistleblower complaint, you should learn about the different types of evidence that usually support these claims. Qualifying whistleblower claims may be built on any of the following forms of evidence:

• Emails, memos, reports, contracts, invoices, and other internal documents
• Medical claims, Medicare/Medicaid billing codes, financial statements, and other billing records
• Testimony from individuals who have direct knowledge of fraud
• Documents proving misrepresentation of compliance with regulations
• Records showing inconsistencies in billing or reporting

While these pieces of evidence can build a strong whistleblower complaint, not every whistleblower has this much information on the alleged fraud or unlawful practices. In many cases, you can file a complaint that other parties will investigate further if you have direct knowledge of fraud and information on who was involved.

Parties That Can File a Whistleblower Complaint

To fully understand what qualifies as a whistleblower complaint, it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the different parties who have whistleblower protections under the FCA. Under the FCA, full–time and part–time employees can file a whistleblower complaint and be protected from retaliation.

Independent contractors, or 1099 workers, and agents of a given company can also file a complaint. It’s important to note that, in some cases, the close family members and associates of a whistleblower may also be protected from retaliation, even though they had nothing to do with filing the actual whistleblower complaint.

Determining what qualifies as a whistleblower complaint and whether you’re eligible to blow the whistle can be difficult. Luckily, a knowledgeable whistleblower lawyer can provide the information and resources you need to understand the whistleblowing process and expose the fraud you have knowledge of.

How a Whistleblower Lawyer Can Help You

Blowing the whistle on unlawful practices at your place of work can be a confusing and intimidating process. That’s why it’s highly recommended that you work with an attorney who has extensive experience with these types of complaints.

Here’s what a trusted whistleblower lawyer can do to guide you through this process:

• Evaluate the evidence you have and the strength of your case
• Help you gather and organize evidence properly
• File the False Claims Act complaint
• Maintain your confidentiality when possible and protect your rights throughout the process
• Communicate with government investigators and agencies
• Offer information on possible whistleblower rewards
• Represent you during legal proceedings, if necessary
• Ensure compliance with whistleblower laws
• Advise you on what qualifies as a whistleblower complaint
• Guide you through the entire legal process and answer any questions you have

Schedule a Free Consultation With a Trusted Whistleblower Lawyer

If you have knowledge of fraudulent practices occurring at your place of work, you might not be sure what to do next. At Keilty Bonadio, we can help.

We have over 50 years of combined experience handling whistleblower complaints like yours. We’re confident that our skilled team has what it takes to file a strong claim for you and protect your rights throughout the process.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a trusted whistleblower lawyer. We’ll meet with you to discuss your case, explain what qualifies as a whistleblower complaint, and answer any questions you may have about the legal process.