ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER On August 12, 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released its latest amendments to the IRS whistleblower program. The goal of the changes is twofold: increase participation in the program, and improve returns to the United States Treasury. To that end, one of the very first changes was […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER On July 14, 2014, the United States House of Representatives voted to pass the All Circuit Review Extension Act. The bill extended the filing window under the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 (“WPEA”). Now, thanks to Congress, federal employees who seek to blow the whistle have five […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER At age 59, Janet Keyzer decided to become a whistleblower against her employer, the University of California at Davis, and in return for this career ending decision, the whistleblower was awarded $730,000 from a jury verdict on Monday. A former administrative nurse, Keyzer was fired from the nation’s […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER In 2011, the corporate world faced a huge shock – the Securities and Exchange Commission was ordered to create a program by Congress to allow anonymous reporting of securities violations and protection for those who reported misconduct, also known as “whistleblowing.” Whistleblowers no longer had to fear employer […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER On January 28, 2013 Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, delivered correspondence to the Internal Revenue Service with suggestions on how to improve the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006. The IRS admitted receiving numerous letters expressing sentiments that largely mirrored those raised by the Iowa senator. While […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER Courts have lowered the level of proof required by employees who want to report a potential fraud or securities violation of the Sarbanes-Oxley act. The 2nd Circuit recently decided in the case of Nielsen v. AECOM Technology Corp that a new “reasonable person” standard would apply to Sarbanes-Oxley […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER A federal judge recently ruled that whistleblowers do not need to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission in order to be protected from retaliation in the workplace. This ruling is welcome news to whistleblowers who fear coming forward to expose fraud. California whistleblower and securities attorneys are […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER A United States Senator recently announced his plans to create a whistleblower protection caucus in the United States Senate. He announced his plans on the 25th anniversary of the Whistleblower Protection Act. California whistleblower and securities attorneys are glad that the senator is so enthusiastic about the whistleblower […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration oversees certain whistleblower programs.  There are twenty two whistleblower statutes covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  Whistleblowers are now able to file complaints online.  This provides another way for whistleblowers that have been retaliated against […]

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER The state of California has stronger protections for whistleblowers in 2014.  On January 1, 2014 three laws went into effect that will enhance protections for whistleblowers.  SB 496, along with SB 666 and AB 263 are the bills that will help protect whistleblowers going forward.  California whistleblower attorneys […]