Back pay is money an employee is awarded when they are wrongly fired or otherwise denied wages or benefits they rightfully earned. It’s a way to financially compensate the employee and put them back in the position they would have been in if the employer hadn’t acted wrongly.

Whistleblower laws exist to protect employees who report illegal or unethical activities by their employer. These laws often include provisions against retaliation by the employer. If an employer fires or demotes an employee for whistleblowing, the employee can sue for reinstatement to their job and back pay for the wages and benefits they lost due to the retaliation. Back pay awards for whistleblowers typically cover lost wages and benefits from the date of the retaliatory action (like termination) until they are reinstated or offered reinstatement in good faith. In some cases, the award might be doubled as an additional penalty for the employer’s wrongdoing.