Atlanta Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Actions Lawyers
In response to Enron, WorldCom, and the other highly publicized corporate scandals of the early 2000s, Congress enacted the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Act protects employees of publicly traded companies who expose corporate fraud or violations of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations. The Act prohibits employers from terminating or otherwise retaliating against corporate whistleblowers.
Who is protected?
Sarbanes-Oxley protects employees, contractors, subcontractors, and agencies of publicly traded corporations who engage in protected whistleblower activity.
What constitutes protected whistleblower activity?
Sarbanes-Oxley broadly defines whistleblower activity. It protects employees who report unlawful activity to their supervisors, internal investigators, law enforcement agencies, and to Congress. Sarbanes-Oxley also protects employees who participate in SEC proceedings, or other federal investigations related to corporate fraud.
What employer conduct does Sarbanes-Oxley prohibit?
Sarbanes-Oxley protects whistleblowers from termination, blacklisting and other retaliatory conduct.
What are the remedies for violations of Sarbanes-Oxley?
If an employer unlawfully retaliates against a whistleblower, Sarbanes-Oxley provides specific remedies including:
-
Reinstatement
-
Compensation for lost wages (including interest)
-
Special damages for, among other things, loss of professional reputation and emotional distress
-
Attorneys' fees and costs.
