When Employees Blow the Whistle: Managing Employer Exposure Under the Federal and California False Claims Acts

An internal complaint, an unexpected subpoena, or a sealed qui tam complaint can turn routine business into high-stakes litigation overnight. Whistleblowers who bring claims under the federal False Claims Act and the California False Claims Act can recover a large share of what the government collects. That gives employees strong reasons to report suspected fraud, and employers face treble damages, per-claim penalties and retaliation claims as a result.

This program gives in-house counsel, HR leaders, and compliance professionals a practical look at how whistleblower claims start, how they grow and how employers can protect themselves at every stage. Topics include:

- How qui tam cases work under federal and California law: filing under seal, whether the government steps in, and what that means for your organization.
- Retaliation risk: how anti-retaliation protections under the FCA, the California FCA and related California whistleblower statutes affect discipline and termination decisions.
- Handling internal reports: when to investigate, how to preserve privilege, and how to avoid creating evidence that helps the plaintiff.
- Building a compliance program that holds up: reporting channels, training and documentation that reduce exposure before a complaint is ever filed.
- Litigation and resolution strategy: early case assessment, coordinating with the government, and settlement points to consider.

Leave with concrete steps your organization can take now to spot red flags, respond carefully when concerns come up, and limit liability if a whistleblower comes forward.