Irvine Whistleblower Retaliation Attorneys

Irvine Whistleblower Retaliation Attorneys

Our Irvine attorneys understand that it is never easy to speak up against an injustice in the workplace. California has strong laws in place to protect whistleblowers, so that employees can speak up against any harmful, discriminatory, or unlawful situations in the workplace. These laws make it illegal for an employer to retaliate against an employee for speaking up and protesting.

Our Irvine employment attorneys have decades of experience representing employees who have blown the whistle and spoken up. Our Orange County attorneys offer free, no-risk consultations to review your case, and discuss the potential claim you may have for compensation. It is important that you get in touch with an attorney that is experienced in workers’ rights under both Federal and California laws.

Our whistleblower lawyers are available 24/7 via phone and email, and have an office located in Irvine to address any of your concerns you may have regarding your claim.

Who Are Whistleblowers?

“Whistleblower” describes an employee who has spoken up in protest against any fraudulent or illegal conduct in their workplace. If your employer treats you differently after you’ve voiced concerns about any fraudulent conduct, you may have a claim against them. Contact us today to review your case!

Examples of violations that whistleblowers might protest include:

• Violations of environmental laws
• Sexual harassment
• Discrimination

California Whistleblower Laws

California law protects whistleblowers who:

• Report any fraudulent or illegal activity conducted by their employer to a government agency
• Report any employment wage and hour violations
• Report any tax fraud committed by the employer
• Report a regulatory violation to a supervisor within the company
• Report any environmental law violations and/or labor law violations
• Report any wasteful violations to the California State Auditor

What is whistleblower retaliation? 

When an employee reports any potentially illegal activity, the employer cannot discriminate in retribution. If, as a result of making such a report, an employee begins to experience discrimination in the workplace, that person has a claim for retaliation. If you suspect that you may be the victim of poor treatment as a result of speaking up, contact our Orange County attorneys immediately. Examples of this type of retaliation include:

• Reducing the employee’s pay
• Firing the employee 
• Denying the employer promotion
• Reducing the employee’s work hours
• Excluding the employee from work-related activities
• Failing to train the employee
• Demoting the employee
• Giving negative performance reviews in reaction to whistleblowing
• Transferring the employee
• Denying the employee access to professional credentials

What Type of Compensation Can I Receive For My Whistleblower Retaliation Claim In Irvine?

The damages and compensation you could receive depend on the circumstances of the lawsuit. For example, the different types of damages you could potentially receive include:

• Back pay
• Health Care Benefits
• Loss of career opportunities
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Pension benefits
• Punitive damages (this is in very rare instances)

Federal Sarbanes-Oxley Act

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act is a federal law that allows California employees to sue their employers in federal court in response to retaliation for reporting on illegal activity. This allows employees to file a claim against their employers if they work for a publicly traded company.

If you or a loved one believe you have experienced, contact our Irvine retaliation attorneys today to see how we can assist you with your claim. It is important to get into contact with an experienced labor law attorney immediately since filing a claim with the United States Secretary of Labor must be done within 180 days of the retaliatory incident.

What if my whistleblower report was incorrect?

If you spoke up against your employer for suspected illegal practices, and you were incorrect, you are still protected under both federal and state whistleblower protection acts. The only requirement when reporting is that you have good reason to believe that there was a violation by their employer.

Contact Our Whistleblower Retaliation Lawyers Today

Get into contact with our Irvine employment law attorneys today to determine the different rights and protections you may have against your employer. There are several laws in place, both on the federal level and on the state level that protect an employee from speaking up against their employer. We make sure that our clients’ interests are protected, and we are available 24/7 to answer any questions or concerns that you may have regarding your whistleblower claim.

Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that you do not have to pay for our attorneys upfront unless we win compensation in your favor. Contact us today to set up a free no risk consultation.

How can you prove whistleblower retaliation in Irvine?

There are elements that a whistleblower retaliation attorney must have to prove for asserting a whistleblower retaliation claim. These elements include:

• The employee engaged in a protected activity: this protected activity is reporting any illegal misconduct the employee reasonably believed was occurring at the workplace
• The employer then began to discriminate against the employee as a result of the report

False Claims Act Damages

If a whistleblower reports any government violations, and that report is proven to be accurate, the government provides the whistleblower a portion of the proceeds resulting from prosecution for the act reported. This is considered a qui tam lawsuit. This type of lawsuit can be complex, which is why it is very important that you contact an Irvine employment law attorney immediately. You could receive 15 to 25% of the government’s recovery in a qui tam lawsuit.

UC Irvine Whistleblower Retaliation Case

A recent whistleblower retaliation case occurred in 2019 when a UC Irvine neuropsychiatrist named Mark Linksey was awarded nearly two million dollars. While teaching neurological surgery at University of California, Irvine, Linskey reported to the government his concerns about patient safety as well as potential conflicts of interest that UC Irvine had.

Because Linskey spoke up against this employer’s misconduct, they retaliated against him by moving him into another department. The employer also worked to make sure that nobody assisted Linskey when he moved to that new department.

We have decades of experience representing residents from the Orange County area with their whistleblower protection claims. Other than whistleblower retaliation, our attorneys are also experienced in several other types of employment law, including discrimination, wrongful termination, and LGBTQ discrimination.

If you have been mistreated, contact us today.

Our attorneys serve all of the Orange County and its cities including:

Orange, Irvine, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Fullerton, Tustin, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, San Clemente, Westminster, Buena Park, Dana Point, Yorba Linda, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Bria, Fountain Valley, San Juan Capistrano, Aliso Viejo, Cypress, Laguna Hills, Rancho Santa Margarita, La Habra, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Ladera Ranch, Placentia, Laguna Woods, Villa Park, Stanton, La Palma, Midway City,  Rossmoor, Los Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, etc.