New Mexico Considers Expanding Whistleblower Program to Local & School Governments

February 2, 2015 by Begelman and Orlow

Expanding whistleblower protections and rewards programs are hot topics throughout the country these days. While the NJ Supreme Court is contemplating better defining what constitutes “whistleblower status,” New Mexico politicians are reviewing potential legislation that would reward people who expose local lawmakers and school officials. If this bill becomes a law in NM, a world… More

New Jersey Top Court Reviews Protections for Watchdog Employees Who Opt to Blow the Whistle

January 29, 2015 by Begelman and Orlow

The Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), New Jersey’s whistleblower protection law, is an important resource for people who opt to report wrongdoing by their employees. The NJ Supreme Court is currently reviewing CEPA as it relates to employees whose jobs require them to monitor and report on an employer’s compliance procedures. These individuals are commonly… More

To Blow the Whistle or Not to Blow the Whistle – That Is the Question

January 21, 2015 by Begelman and Orlow

If the only thing standing between a whistleblower’s decision to report fraud or keep it to himself was how much money he would collect, there may be quite a few more False Claims Act reports of people trying to steal from the government. Alas, there is far more that goes into the decision to become… More

Law Enforcement Cracks Down on Criminal Aspects of Whistleblower Cases

January 12, 2015 by Begelman and Orlow

False Claims Act cases, involving an informant blowing the whistle on fraudulent activity against the government, are civil cases involving business dealings. However, often, there are criminal aspects to the case that don’t always get rooted out when the qui tam case is first brought. Leslie R. Caldwell, assistant attorney general for the Department of… More

What is `Qui Tam’ and Why Should You Care?

January 6, 2015 by Begelman and Orlow

If you are not a lawyer, the term “qui tam” is likely as common to you as some of the nitty-gritty medical terms doctors use in the operating room. You don’t need to know those terms, you just need to know the professional you hire knows them well. The legal term “qui tam,” however, should… More