• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Whistleblowing Protection?

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

Hoons

Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? IN

My girlfriend works for a government agency and was made aware of illegal 'double- and triple-' billing of grant funds. This agency assists low-income people. She has long been very vocal to me about things that frustrate her at her job, but when she heard of this, she decided to compose a letter for the Board of this agency, some media and various local politicians.

The prior activities that frustrated her weren't illegal, such as irresponsible spending on things like landscaping, employee surveillance, etc., while cutting off low income clients. She also has talked about the handful of sexual harassment suits by employees against the Executive Director that were all settled.

The grant fraud was pretty major and this inspired her do something. My question is, how protected would she be exposing this fraud (or attempting to)? She explained that the last time someone complained to the Board about the Executive Director, every employee was called into an office individually and questioned. She is fairly certain, if it is found out this was from her, they would terminate her. She is sending it anonymously. Any insight or 'pre-whistleblowing' advice anyone can give her? She has not sent anything yet. She is just now writing it.
 
Last edited:


ecmst12

Senior Member
Whistleblower laws protect people who go to government/legal authorities, not the company board or the media.
 

Hoons

Member
I can understand the board and media; that makes sense. But are Congressmen and the Federal agency HUD considered the legal authorities? HUD oversees this agency.
 

commentator

Senior Member
commentator

Oh boy, does this bring back memories! When young I went to work for an agency that contracted federal poverty monies for distribution. Eventually we all figured out that the only poverty these contractors were fighting was their own! Talking to the truly needy clients all day, having to tell them no money was available, and then seeing the money spent for landscaping, new office furniture and jobs for the contractors friends and family drove everyone nuts. But illegal, no.

If they are not a state agency, and your girlfriend is not a state employee, they are a private company that contracts for federal monies. As a private company, they have no more restrictions on them than any other private company. If they so desire, they can fire your girlfriend. No good reason required. They are "overseen" by governmental agencies, but even if you directly send the governmental agency documentation of the double billing, all you will get is a spate of state or federal auditors investigating for years.

If you contact the local media, you may get a blurb in the paper from an investigative reporter, but nothing will ever come of it. Your agency director will make the appropriate comments, and it will be glossed over. In order to get these state and federal grants, your employer has had to woo and win the support of the very people who are now supposed to monitor them.

They will probably find out who wrote the letters, who voiced the complaints. I strongly suspect she is not a federal employee, she is an employee of the contractor. She'll be fired or gotten rid of somehow, though not necessarily for this reason on paper. There will be no whistelblower protection for her.

If I were she, I'd be looking diligently for another job. If she wants to do social work and help others, I would suggest she avoid private contracting agencies who administer federal programs, as in 99% of the situations I have found these people to be rotten to the core.
 
Last edited:

Hoons

Member
That's pretty sad and this operation sounds just like what you're talking about. However, this is an agency of the local government and she is a city employee. I'm don't know if that makes much of a difference.

I'm trying to get her to focus on the fraud and leave out the opinions, editorials and hyperbole so the letter doesn't get written off as a tirade from a bitter employee. She has a huge conscience and seems hellbent on exposing the stuff that goes on around her (to her own peril).
 

commentator

Senior Member
commentator

If your city is large enough to have a "fiscal services director" or accountant, she could send the evidence of the double billing directly to this office. She could also send copies of this information to the mayor's office, give it to the local media outlets (in my city, the local newscasts are always soliciting "if you know of any examples of waste and fraud in this area." )

But I am afraid that as soon as she starts taking this sort of action, she will become classified as a bitter former employee. Because these types of agencies do not deal well with disloyalty and not "being a team player." She will need to file for her unemployment benefits immediately if this happens.

I have found that there are good helping agencies for us do-gooders to work at, and I do prefer governmental agencies to private contractors, at least they do not get to write their own rules.

I hope this turns out well for her, and she has her complaints taken seriously, or finds another good place to work.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top