Should I Blow the Whistle? Pros and Cons of Whistleblowing

As we do with almost everything in life, we weigh the risks against the rewards when deciding whether or not to blow the whistle on a company that we catch engaging in criminal acts. It can be easy to let our fears overtake us and prevent us from reporting crimes against the False Claims Act (FCA) or the California False Claims Act (CFCA), but there are many other factors to consider when weighing the pros and cons of whistleblowing. If you believe you have witnessed corporate fraud in violation of the FCA or CFCA, contact an experienced California whistleblower attorney immediately (time is of the essence in whistleblower cases) to learn more about the pros and cons to whistleblowing in your particular case.

Pros of Whistleblowing

You will finally be heard. If you witness fraud in your workplace, there is usually no sense in reporting the fraud to your employer. First, your employer is likely the one behind the fraud, so reporting it to your employer will only make things worse for you. Second, if you work for a large corporation or government, pushing through the bureaucracy to get your voice heard might be a bigger feat than you are prepared to take on alone. With a whistleblower attorney on your side, your voice will be heard and acted upon.
You get to do the right thing. Do you believe in a cause? Do you believe in justice? Do you believe in not wasting taxpayers’ money on corporate fraud? If you answered “yes” to any of the above, then you will probably be interested in filing a whistleblower case, as doing so will allow you to achieve all of the above.

You can get to the bottom of the fraud. Maybe you have pieces of information pertaining to your employer’s fraud, but you want to get to the bottom of it. One benefit of whistleblowing is that you will get access to the best private and government attorneys to help you investigate the case and get to the bottom of whom is responsible for the fraud that is negatively affecting so many taxpayers.

You do not pay your attorney unless you win. Most whistleblower attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay your attorney for unless you win. Thus, you have nothing to lose by hiring a whistleblower attorney to file your case.

Cons of Whistleblowing

Employer retaliation. The biggest fear that people have when it comes to whistleblowing is employer retaliation. Many people are afraid that if they report their employer’s fraud, they will lose their job, get demoted, experience a salary cut, or otherwise face negative consequences relating to their employment and livelihood. Despite how common this concern is, it is actually not warranted. In California, it is illegal for employers to retaliate against employees for whistleblowing. If you do face employer retaliation, an experienced whistleblower attorney will be able to help you obtain compensation for your injuries and hold your employer responsible for retaliating against you.

Should You Blow the Whistle?

Weighing the pros and cons of whistleblowing, it is pretty clear that the pros strongly outweigh the cons. If you still have doubts and would like to speak with a whistleblower attorney about your particular case, contact us at (800) 427-7020 or visit us online to schedule your free consultation today.

(image courtesy of Max Bender)