Federal and state false claims acts have become common avenues for individuals concerned about the ethical and legal claims their employers make for reimbursements of payments from their governments. Federal whistleblowers racked up $6.6 billion in awards for their claims in federal courts for the ten years between 2008 and…
Watts Law Firm PC recently settled a federal and state whistleblower case that required the defendant, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (“BMH”), to pay $1.7 million to resolve the civil claim that BMH violated the federal and state False Claims Acts. Our suit alleged that BMH knowingly presented or caused to…
The recent revelations of sexual harassment and assault by politicians, movie moguls and stars, corporate officials and sports personalities have risen to a crescendo that cannot be ignored by or hidden from the public, law enforcement or civil courts. The media focus on abusive conduct spotlights the tip of the…
In a landmark decision last month, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned two lower courts that dismissed whistleblower claims against employers. The nation’s highest court reaffirmed and strengthened the federal False Claims Act. The Court expanded the standard for determining a government contractor’s “false claim.” The decision will ease the path…
We previously expressed the view that the gender gap in the U.S. employment markets has evolved little despite President Obama’s efforts on behalf of women since his Inauguration, congress has prevented most of his measures from being enacted. But the first bill the president signed into law, the Lilly Ledbetter…
A recent national journalistic piece counselled employers about firing employees. Many employers need the advice. Employers can be ruthless when they decide they want to remove an employee – regardless of the employee’s tenure or devotion to the firm. The journalist’s coaching was not directed towards the subject of…
Many people have experienced their employer’s abuse. The abuse may take the form of verbal humiliations and disgrace, demotion, dismissal from employment and replacement by a younger, less experienced and less costly employee or coercion to work for reduce or no compensation or benefits. Employers justify their antics by citing…
Many individuals who experienced injuries resulting from medical procedures do not pursue the care provider for the monetary (or non-monetary) compensation related to their injuries — for a variety of reasons. The primary reason is litigation’s tension, uncertainty and expense. Whether a health care provider caused a medically-related injury is…
Racial discrimination in law enforcement is constantly in the news these days. Another form of discrimination that does not make headlines often is gender discrimination. Gender discrimination is rampant in American society. This notion is particularly true in the field of employment. Women compose approximately 49 percent of the…
The Vermont Supreme Court recently confirmed that notion in Taylor v. Fletcher Allen Medical Center, a case involving a woman who experienced complications arising from lumbar spinal surgery. But it is more than a truism; it is a rule of law that plaintiffs must present medical negligence evidence through an…