Corporate Women Executives Are Being Urged To Deal The Dirt
It has recently been reported that woman executives are being urged to dish the dirt and come forward as a Dodd Frank whistleblower. The recent Dodd-Frank Wall Street and Consumer Protection Act signed into law in July 2010 in direct response to the recent financial crisis has opened up new incentives and protections for whistleblowers. Prior to this act, there was no real incentive for an executive or an employee to step forward and say that their company was exaggerating their profits or lying to shareholders since they feared retaliation for their actions.
America's Watchdog Corporate Whistle Blower Center in Washington is actively encouraging individuals to expose the wrongdoings inside corporate America and earn themselves millions of dollars as a reward simply for dishing out the dirt. The reward can be up to 15% of the total value of the fraud, and is likened to winning the lotto just for telling the truth. Not only this, but it is believed that many woman executives have plenty of secrets to tell, simply because the 'good old boy system' is still very much alive in the US and women are being given the dirty jobs, often being asked to clean up a mess and make it go away. If you feel that your company is engaging in wrong doings, then you should seek the advice of a well-versed attorney who will be able to ascertain whether there is a case to answer and he can also explain your rights as a Dodd Frank whistleblower.
It is felt that women in particular may be keeping secrets to themselves since they are often the most vulnerable in the workplace and are the first to get fired or demoted. Instead of just putting up with it and living with the lies, then now there is an incentive for them to come forward. Naturally they need to have substantial grounds for accusations, since the amount of money we're talking about here, is in excess of $1million. Cases can be very complex and indeed costly, so it is vital for any executive or employee who has knowledge of wrongdoings to employ an attorney to represent them.
Violations of the Dodd Frank Act
There are many types of violations that are covered by the Dodd Frank Act and these include:
- Misleading or false statements
- Insider trading
- Bribing foreign officials
- Misappropriate or theft of funds
- Manipulation of stock prices
Protection of the Dodd Frank whistleblower
Naturally any executive or employee is going to be concerned about what might happen to them if they put themselves into the role of whistleblower. Will they experience retaliation and could they lose their job. It goes without saying that losing your job, especially if you are the main breadwinner for the family, could be financially devastating, so it is comforting to know that provided you have substantial evidence for your allegation, then you are protected under the current Dodd Frank whistleblower provisions which state that an employer cannot terminate, suspend, discriminate, threaten, or harass them, and it is illegal for an employer to carry out any of these acts. These provisions apply to all whistleblowers regardless of whether they are proved to be right in their accusation and whether they receive a reward or not.
At the end of the day, it is not easy making the decision to become a whistleblower, and whilst some people will praise you for your actions, others will regard you with contempt and consider you a sneak. However, if you believe that honesty is the best policy and you are making a stand because you firmly believe that what you are doing is the right thing to do, then don't try and do it on your own. Contact an experienced Dodd Frank whistleblower attorney who will be with you every step of what may well be a long and difficult path.
