There are many scenarios in which employees might take legal action against their employers. Workers file wage and hour lawsuits when they don’t receive the pay they deserve. They may file discrimination lawsuits when they endure unfair treatment or experience harassment that their employer does not address.
Sometimes, workers choose to file qui tam lawsuits. A qui tam lawsuit is a form of whistleblowing. Those who have uncovered concerning information at work may have grounds for a qui tam lawsuit.
Workers can sue on behalf of the government
What makes a qui tam action different from other forms of employment litigation is that the worker does not assert that the company did something inappropriate to them or their coworkers. Instead, the goal is to seek justice for fraud involving the government.
Qui tam lawsuits usually begin when workers discover fraudulent billing practices. Qui tam lawsuits might involve railroad employees or those working at medical businesses that accept Medicare or Medicaid.
When there is reason to suspect that the business engaged in fraudulent billing, an employee can act as a relator and file a lawsuit on behalf of the federal government. In some cases, the government may participate in the litigation.
Other times, the worker pursues the lawsuit independently with the help of their attorney. If the lawsuit is successful, the whistleblower who files the qui tam lawsuit can receive a portion of the fraudulent billing proceeds recovered by the government.
Employees intending to act as whistleblowers may need help learning about their rights and making use of them. Those who have proof of financial fraud may choose to pursue a qui tam lawsuit to hold their employer accountable.