GOVERNMENT & POLITICS »» GOVERNMENT POLICY »» WHISTLEBLOWERS »» Feb 22, 2021

A whistleblower is a person who exposes misconduct, dishonesty or illegal activity occurring in an organization. The 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act is a federal law that protects government-employed whistleblowers from any type of retaliation. Whistleblowers may file a complaint when they have evidence of a violation of a law, rule or regulation. Other possible reasons for whistleblower complaints include gross mismanagement, blatant waste of funds, abuse of authority or a danger to public safety. Whistleblowers typically receive a percentage of the money they save their agencies. The 2010 Dodd-Frank Act authorizes whistleblower awards of up to 30% of the funds collected for those furnishing high-quality original information. The amount of these rewards can be considerable. In 2013, a Justice Department settlement with five of our largest mortgage servicing companies resulted in an award of $46 million to a group of whistleblowers. Pending Legislation: H.R.7793 - Financial Compensation for CFPB Whistleblowers Act Sponsor: Rep. Al Green (TX) Status: House Committee on Financial Services Chair: Rep. Maxine Waters (CA)