With all of the whistleblower cases in the news lately, You would think that it would be easy to get protection when reporting fraud. On the surface, it is easy. There are federal whistle blower laws, as well as local and state laws protecting people who disclose sensitive information to government investigators. Whether you are blowing the whistle on corporate scandal, police misconduct, or even the actions of government employees, you should theoretically be sheltered from any fallout. After all, whistle blowing is the right thing to do. People have, at least in theory, known this for a long time.
Nonetheless, whistle blower laws are not as much of a protection as you might think. I have a good friend who was in the position of reporting corporate scandals the government recently. He worked in a large business that shall remain nameless, and was aware that they were defrauding their investors of tens of thousands of dollars. He thought that reporting such corrupt business practices would be a cinch ? whoever investigated the case would make sure that the company didn't take retributive actions against him, costing him his job and his livelihood. What he didn't realize was that the people he was reporting on were well-connected. Somehow or another, it was leaked. Although he eventually got his job back and was rewarded financial compensation, they made it miserable for him to work there even after that. In the end, it seriously disturbed several years of his life.
This is why a would-be whistle blower has to be so careful. You see, everyone loves whistle blowers until they are blowing the whistle on you. A lot of these corporate types, as well as higher ranks government officials, think they are invincible. When someone threatens their power or station, they can be very hostile. Sometimes, particularly when they're connected with law enforcement, awful things can happen to a whistle blower. No matter what whistleblower protection policy a company has, you still report its misdeeds at your own risk.
I have always thought that the best policy is to get out of the situation when it looks like things are going bad. True, if you overhear something or are told some sensitive information that is illegal, you might have to contemplate whether or not you want to go to the press or government. If, however, you simply have suspicions, get out of the situation! Find another job, one that makes you more comfortable and allows you to work with honest people.
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