The Whistleblower's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing What's Right and Protecting Yourself  Stephen Martin Kohn Lyons Press 2011

 Every single day, American workers by the thousands report fraud, violations of environmental rules, health and safety hazards, and political corruption. The National Business Ethics Survey reports that 56% of workers admit to witnessing serious misconduct at work, and more than half of them take the first step to report it. But there exists a maze of confusing state and federal laws that govern whistleblowing. Ignorance of the proper steps to expose wrongdoing too often leads to silence, lost court cases, public embarrassment, and a failure to effect real change. But when done right, whistleblowing has strengthened democracy, protected the environment, and saved taxpayers and investors billions of dollars. Modern whistleblower laws have created a powerful tool for effective grassroots participation.

Now, from the nation's leading whistleblower attorney, comes the first-ever consumer guide to whistleblowing. In The Whistleblower's Handbook, Stephen Martin Kohn explains nearly all federal and state laws regarding whistleblowing and set forth twenty-one basic rules every potential whistleblower needs to know.

The Whistleblower's Handbook is the authoritative reference for anyone who has ever wondered how they might blow the whistle - and, once they've done so, how to prevail.

Table of Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Preface: What to Do if the Boss Is a Crook
• Introduction: Tough Questions Facing Every American Worker
• Rule 1: Understand the Maze
• Rule 2: Follow the Money
• Rule 3: Yes, You Are a Whistleblower
• Rule 4: Find the Best Federal Law
• Rule 5: Don't Forget State Laws
• Rule 6: Always Ask: Is the Taxpayer on the Hook?
• Rule 7: Check for Tax Cheats, the IRS Qui Tam
• Rule 8: Know Dodd and Frank: Securities and Commodities Qui Tam Claims
• Rule 9: If Working for the Government, Use the First Amendment
• Rule 10: Make Sure Disclosures Are Protected
• Rule 11: Beware of "Hotlines"
• Rule 12: Cautiously Use "Self-Help" Tactics
• Rule 13: Be Prepared for the Lid to Blow
• Rule 14: Delay is Deadly, 158
• Rule 15:Get the Proof Needed to Win the Case
• Rule 16: Get to the Jury
• Rule 17: Win the Case: Prove Motive and Pretext
• Rule 18: Get Every Penny Deserved
• Rule 19: Make the Boss Pay Attorney Fees
• Rule 20: Don't Take "Hush Money"
• Rule 21: Never Forget: Whistleblowing Works
• Conclusion: Whistleblowing and the American Dream
• Checklist1: Whistleblower Reward Laws (Qui Tam)
• Checklist2: Whistleblower Protections Under Federal Law
• Checklist 3: Whistleblower Protections Under State Common Law
• Checklist 4: What to Look for When Blowing the Whistle on Fraud Against the Government
• Checklist 5: Proof of Retaliation
• Checklist 6: Discovery in Whistleblower Cases: Obtaining the Evidence Needed to Win a Case Against an Employer
• Checklist 7 Dodd-Frank "Q's & A's"
• Annotated Chapter Sources
• Resources for Whistleblowers
• Index

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