The Fee Is Free Unless You Win.
Top Rated Employment Law Firm
Protecting Families Since 1995
$400 Million Won
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Whistleblowers in New Jersey are those people willing to report a company, organization, or wrongdoing by violating laws, rules, or regulations that affect the public conscious and safety. In other words, a whistleblower sees something wrong at work, refuses to participate, and is willing to report it and even testify against it to make sure the company does not get away with breaking the law and harming people.
It is essential to keep an open line of communication for whistleblowers to feel comfortable coming forward. As a result, it is illegal to retaliate against a whistleblower. For the past 25 years, the experienced attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group has worked to help whistleblowers obtain the justice they deserve.
A whistleblower in New Jersey is anyone that “blows the whistle” against a company or business who is violating the laws and regulations that protect the government from fraud and individuals from acts that are dangerous or affect public health and safety.
“blowing the whistle” simply means the person has reported the wrongdoing or illegal activity to a party that can act on the information, has refused to participate in the illegal activities, and/or is willing and does testify against he employer or even a co-worker in court. The whistleblower, as a result of his or her necessary contribution to protecting the public, is protected from retaliation from the employer.
Whistleblowers need attorneys for three different reasons. First, a whistleblower may wish to consult an attorney when he or she discovers the illegal activity and wishes to make a claim. The attorney can help the whistleblower through the process to make sure they follow the statute of limitations and have everything properly in place to file the claim appropriately. As a result, the whistleblower is now working on behalf of the state or federal government, since he or she knows the details as the witness to the actions.
The whistleblower attorney will guide the whistleblower and help make sure he or she is properly represented to complete the claim and receive the compensation he or she deserves. Finally, if the whistleblower is fired, demoted, withheld pay, receives a reduction in pay, suspended, or receives any other retaliatory actions from the employer, the whistleblower attorney can help file a claim for retaliation in the courts and get the whistleblower the compensation he deserves.
The federal government and the State of New Jersey have several laws in place to protect whistleblowers from retaliation and provide compensation through qui tam actions. Some of the laws include:
Whistleblower actions in New Jersey relate to illegal activities or anything that puts the public health and safety at risk. Some examples of whistleblower actions in New Jersey include:
Under the Federal False Claims Act and New Jersey False Claims Act, a person has 60 days from the date of the illegal activity to file a claim with the Department of Justice regarding the actions.
New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act insists employee must first report the incident to his or her supervisor in writing and provide a reasonable time limit for the supervisor to take action unless he has reason to believe the employer or supervisor already is aware of the violations. If that does not occur, the employee has one year to file the claim with the appropriate public agency.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act allows a time-limit of 180 days to file a claim for retaliation. And the Dodd-Frank Act allows a whistleblower 6 to 10 years to file a whistleblower claim and 3 years to file a complaint about retaliation.
Discover how our expertise has helped clients overcome their legal challenges and achieve successful outcomes.
View All TestimonialsDuring the time that I really needed a good counselor and I was approaching different attorneys unfortunately before they heard the problem they were demanding a retainer fee. A friend of mine introduced me to the Derek Smith Law Group and I was very fortunate to be answered by Matt Finkleberg who was very polite and understanding and gave me a lot of confidence without asking for any fees in f... Read Full Testimonial
Matt Finkleberg is by far the best attorney I’ve ever hired!
Matt Finkelberg is an outstanding attorney. It was a pleasure to have him represent me for my employment case. He was very easy to talk to. He was very supportive and knowledgeable throughout the whole process. He explained the entire process to me and kept me informed every step of the way. Matt fought diligently throughout my case to make sure my case was represented best. I am very gratef... Read Full Testimonial
Matt Finkelberg is a top notch lawyer. He is very easy to talk to and truly cared about me as his client. He definitely earned my trust and confidence in his capabilities to represent me in the most professional respects. I give Matt and his firm the Derek Smith Law Group my highest recommendation to anyone who is seeking legal help for employee/employer related matters.
Matt Finkelberg is a life saver. During this whole process not only did I have a great lawyer but I also made a great friend. Matt was very attentive to my case, and mental health. Matt helped me during probably the darkest time of my life and for that I am forever grateful to have came across the Derek Smith law group. As a past client, I 100% recommend Matt Finkleberg. Matt provides a safe sp... Read Full Testimonial
It was a pleasure to have Casey represent and help me for my employment case. It was my first time needing an attorney, so I was a bit apprehensive at first – Casey took the time to answer all of my questions and fully explain everything to me, which really put me at ease. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgeable throughout the whole process – Casey would ask questions to ensure... Read Full Testimonial
matt is an excellent attorney. he handled my case with the utmost care and highly exceeded all expectations. i could not recommend derek smith and esp. matt finkelberg enough
It was a pleasure to have Casey represent and help me for my employment case. It was my first time needing an attorney, so I was a bit apprehensive at first – Casey took the time to answer all of my questions and fully explain everything to me, which really put me at ease. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgeable throughout the whole process – Casey would ask questions to ensure... Read Full Testimonial
You will be in great hands at this firm! Alyssa the managing paralegal is an absolute professional who excels at what she does. You can tell she truly cares about providing the best service possible, and is passionate about helping her clients. With Alyssa at the helm, this firm is a top-notch choice for anyone seeking assistance. Highly recommend!
Matt Finkelberg is Amazing and Devotional! It was a pleasure to have Matt represent me for my employment case. He was very attentive, supportive, and knowledgable throughout the whole process. Whenever I reached out he responded promptly which I greatly appreciated. Matt fought diligently and hard throughout my case to make sure my case was represented best. Thank you again Matt for everything.... Read Full Testimonial
Olivia is absolutely outstanding! She understands the emotional side of your case while being able to find the legal aspects of holding the employer accountable for breaking the law! Made a really terrible situation a little easier by explaining everything and helping me get everything in order and in the right hands. I would not use anyone else! Call them for any sexual harassment case... You ... Read Full Testimonial
Our dedicated attorneys are ready to fight for your workplace rights and ensure justice!
Qui Tam actions occur when the federal or state department of justice does not wish to join the whistleblower action with you and that means you handle the entire process on your own. Because you are working as a spokesperson for the DOJ, you are entitled to certain remedies not available to whistleblowers not controlling the case. Under federal law, you are entitled to 25%-30% of the money recovered by the government. Under New Jersey laws, you are entitled to 15%-25% of the money as well as 3-times the stolen money per claim.
If you are a victim of whistleblower retaliation, the following remedies would be available through the courts in New Jersey:
If you are considering blowing the whistle or are experiencing retaliation as a result of being a whistleblower, here are a few things you can do while you work on your case:
Whistleblowers in New Jersey are an essential piece to preventing corruption in government and business. Without protections in place, many whistleblowers would not come forward and provide this valuable information. If you are a whistleblower and/or have experienced retaliation as a result, the experienced attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group can help. Contact us today at (973) 388-8625 for a free consultation. We do not collect any money until you win your case.
Our experienced legal team provides reliable services in key U.S. cities, ensuring expert assistance for workplace discrimination and employment law matters wherever you are located.