On December 14, 2016, President Obama signed SB 795 into law, making permanent critical protections for federal government contractors. SB 795 made permanent a four-year pilot program (otherwise set to expire on January 1, 2017) that established whistleblower protections to employees working for government contractors. This is one of the most powerful whistleblower protections available to employees of government contractors. Employees of government contractors and government subcontractors are protected from retaliation if they disclose information they reasonably believe is evidence of:
(1) Gross mismanagement of a federal contractor or grant;
(2) A gross waste of federal funds;
(3) An abuse of authority relating to a federal contract or grant;
(4) A substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or
(5) A violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a federal contract (including the competition for or negotiation of a contract) or grant.
The causation standard to prove whistleblower claims under SB 795 is more favorable than in other types of claims: a whistleblower need only show that his or her whistleblowing was a “contributing factor” to the employer’s retaliatory action. For more information for protections afforded to employees of government contractors, check out our website page.
If you are an employee of a government contractor or subcontractor with knowledge of illegal or improper conduct, or if you have experienced retaliation for whistleblowing, please contact us right away. The whistleblower lawyers at Correia & Puth, PLLC are committed to ensuring that employees are protected when they take a stand against illegal employer conduct, or waste, fraud, and abuse, and to hold employers accountable for wrongdoing
