Proskauer Whistleblower Defense

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Lloyd B. Chinn
Pinchos Goldberg
Dominique Kilmartin
Tony S. Martinez
Harris Mufson
Steven J. Pearlman

Latest from Proskauer Whistleblower Defense

A recent Bloomberg article reports that whistleblower complaints to the SEC have soared as employees have been working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to the article, the SEC received 6,900 complaints in the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2020 – a 31% jump from the previous 12-month record. The article discusses how the isolation associated with working remotely has emboldened employees to speak out.  The article quotes a former SEC official as stating: “It’s never been easier to record a meeting when you can do it from your dining room table.”  The article also quotes a…
On June 15, 2020, Senator Kamala Harris and Representatives Jackie Speier and Jamie Raskin introduced the COVID-19 Whistleblower Protection Act (the “Act”), which seeks to provide protections for employees who blow the whistle on employers who misuse federal funds received through various measures enacted by Congress aimed at mitigating the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.  (The text of the proposed bill can be found here.)  Many of the whistleblower protections in the Act echo those contained in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – the economic stimulus bill signed by President Obama in the wake of the…
A Reuters article published on May 26, 2020 reports that the SEC has experienced an uptick in complaints amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  According to the article, the SEC received about 4,000 complaints from mid-March through mid-May – a 35% increase from the previous year.  With an abundance of tips at its disposal, the SEC is eager to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 related misconduct. The article discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has incited a wave of misconduct, ranging from loan and healthcare fraud to the production of counterfeit and substandard medical supplies, across a wide range of industries.  The article quotes…
In recent weeks, there have been numerous widely reported incidents of employees, particularly those in the health care industry, claiming that they have been retaliated against for reporting health and safety concerns related to COVID-19.  Such complaints are indicative of the kinds of whistleblower and retaliation claims employers are likely to see in the near future as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, on April 8, 2020, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”), which according to a recent Washington Post article has received thousands of complaints from employees regarding a lack of protections against COVID-19 in their…