The Chanler Group

The U.S. Secretary of Labor announced the creation of the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee (WPAC), to advise, consult with and make recommendations to the Department of Labor on ways to improve the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's whistleblower protection programs. The WPAC members will use their expertise to provide valuable advice and recommendations to help OSHA strengthen and improve its whistleblower protection program.

"Protecting workers who identify wrongdoing is an essential cornerstone of the U.S. Department of Labor's worker protection enforcement efforts," said the Labor Secretary.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who uncover fraud of every kind perpetrated against our government including, health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.

According to the Corporate Crime Reporter, federal and state whistleblower claims under the False Claims Act resulted in more than $9 billion in recoveries in 2012, more than double the amount in 2011.  A single Medicaid HMO case in California was responsible for $300 million of that, according to the article, and of the 30 largest settlements, 28 were whistleblower-related.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who uncover fraud of every kind perpetrated against our government including, health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.

The New York Times today ran an article titled "The Price Whistle-Blowers Pay for Secrets," in which lawyers and government officials warn potential whistleblowers of the risks and pitfalls of, well, blowing the whistle.  One lawyer is quoted in the article as saying, "You see a high degree of bankruptcies.  You may find yourself unemployable.  Home foreclosures, divorce, suicide, and depression all go with this territory."

Besides the emotional cost, the article goes on to say that payouts are usually in the tens of thousands rather than the millions, and that the trials can take years.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who uncover fraud of every kind perpetrated against our government including, health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.

A CVS subsidiary, RxAmerica, has agreed to a $5 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice based on allegations that they defrauded the Medicare prescription drug plan.  RxAmerica allegedly received Medicare Part D payments for covered generic prescription medication at prices that were sometimes significantly higher than pricing data the company submitted to Medicare's web-based Plan Finder tool.  This not only cost the Medicare program money, but also allegedly caused beneficiaries losses when they entered a gap in their coverage (frequently referred to as the "donut hole") due to the price difference of their medication.  The two whistleblower plaintiffs in the case should be eligible for up to 30% of the settlement according to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, but the press release from the Department of Justice did not specify the amount.

The Chanler Group, in association with the Hirst Law Group, represents whistleblowers who take action under the False Claims Act to report fraud committed against the federal and state governments.  We have years of experience representing whistleblower clients who uncover fraud of every kind perpetrated against our government including, health care fraud, contract fraud, and tax fraud.  Read more about our expertise in False Claims Act cases and how you can take action.

In a series of actions that have highlighted interest in the enforcement of Proposition 65, As You Sow has singularly filed and settled more than 125 Propositions 65 lawsuits within 18-24 months of startup. As You Sow has collected more than $1 million in reimbursements for investigative costs and attorney's fees from manufacturers of spray paints, adhesives, and nail polishes. The organization, said its attorney, Clifford Chanler of the San Francisco firm Chanler & Associates, is focusing on the chemical toluene, which was involved in all of these cases.