Whistleblower Litigation and Protection Attorneys in Denver, CO

Examples of Whistleblower Cases

Under federal law, you cannot be fired, demoted, or otherwise adversely treated for reporting discrimination, harassment, or other illegal activities at your place of work. In addition, you cannot be retaliated against for refusing to engage in illegal activities at work.

You may be considered a whistleblower when you:

• Report illegal activities by your company or fellow employee
• Report safety violations
• File a wage and hour violation claim
• File a complaint of discrimination or harassment

Examples of whistleblower cases cover a wide range of potential situations, from sexual harassment and discrimination to accounting irregularities and government fraud. Some of the most common examples of whistleblower cases are listed below.

Fraud

Fraud occurs when any criminal or wrongful deception is undertaken to gain personal or financial gain. Fraud can happen in virtually any professional setting, including government, education, and business. The most common examples include:

• Concealing safety concerns or violations
• Billing for services not performed
• Over-billing
• Price fixing
• Performing tasks or procedures without proper licensing
• Providing false certifications by educational institutions or certifying agencies
• Misuse or abuse of company funds
• Submitting false reports
• Committing perjury

Hostile Work Environment

A hostile work environment is often associated with sexual harassment cases, but it can result from a variety of unwelcome actions that make the workplace atmosphere offensive, hostile, or intimidating. Unwelcome conduct that creates a hostile work environment can be made by supervisors, co-workers, contractors, customers, or anyone else you may interact with while on the job.Behaviors that contribute to a hostile work environment can include:

• Engaging in hostile physical conduct
• Unnecessary touching
• Sabotaging work
• Using crude language
• Discussing sexual activities
• Using indecent gestures
• Commenting on physical attributes
• Using demeaning or inappropriate terms or epithets
• Displaying racially insensitive or sexually suggestive images
• Telling inappropriate jokes concerning disability, sexual orientation, race, or other protected status

Discrimination

Discrimination occurs when an employee is treated less favorably than other workers based on a personal attribute rather than the ability to perform job duties. It is unlawful to discriminate against someone because of their:

• Race, color, social origin, or national origin
• Sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity
• Age
• Physical, intellectual, mental, or psychiatric disability
• Pregnancy or potential pregnancy
• Marital status or relationship status
• Religion
• Political opinion
• Trade union activity

Discrimination may be direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional. It can manifest in the form of jokes and offhand comments that may seem harmless or even go unnoticed by the perpetrator.

Wage and Hour Violations

As an employee, you rely on your paycheck to provide for yourself and your family, and you have the right to be paid fairly for the hours you work. Wage and hour disputes are common employment law issues, and commonly include:

• Failure to pay minimum wage
• Employee misclassification (such as exempt from overtime)
• Failure to pay for vacation time
• Withholding tips
• Unpaid or underpaid wages
• Violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Failure to reimburse work-related expenses
• Failure to allow required meal and rest breaks

Occupational Health and Safety Violations

The health and safety conditions of your workplace are among the most important factors of your job and well-being. Unfortunately, many employees fear discrimination or retaliation in response to reporting a potential or known safety violation.

Federal law governs a variety of safety issues. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ensures that, as an employee, you have the right to:

• Review statistics relevant to exposure and medical records
• Enjoy workplace safety standards and health programs
• Freedom from discrimination or retaliatory action by employer
• Request an inspection of potential hazards