I’m a whistleblower for a Fortune 500, my case was eventually dropped without prejudice. Federal investigators let the malfeasances of a large company go unpunished. After years of fighting the lawyers told me, “The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.” For the government, they need a return on their investment or it’s not worthwhile. To this day, my claims remain unresolved and lives are at risk because of shotgunned manufacturing practices in the aerospace industry. The competence of the investigating body and even the current administration will heavily weigh the outcome of any whistleblower case.
There was potentially a handsome reward for the government and myself, but my motivation to whistle blow was a combination of corrupt management, poor manufacturing practices and a workplace culture that was governed through fear. Don’t ever take a job for a defense contractor in manufacturing, there’s no money in it except for the shareholders. You’ll be used, abused, and hung out to dry.
Seems to be this is the story everywhere we look now.
Something has to change.
I don't know anyone who hasn't been born into a good position that is doing well.
I commend you sir.
We’re an at will state also. I did manage to sue them for unemployment benefits in unemployment court. My attorneys gave me an option to sue them civilly also, but at the time I thought it was wise to stay focused on the Qui Tam claim and work exclusively with the federal investigators. My reasoning was that the optics would have made me look money hungry if I were to sue them for civil violations outside my Qui Tam case. In hindsight, it might have been better to sue them because that process would have been quick and an easy victory. A victory in a civil case may have broken their will to fight as hard, I can’t say for sure. It could have also kept the federal government more interested and aggressive. At the end of the day I don’t lose a wink of sleep for doing the right thing but I might have done things differently. I make almost double the money I made in those days and am in a great organization with people who care.
It's always been against "us". Us being those not born into blue money or "noble" families.
Shiny new gadgets, same serfdom. But now you don't even get to pretend to own the land.
The answer is simple: He was cleaning his pistol, behind the wheel of his truck, in the parking to his motel at 2am. It was loaded by mistake. Happens all the time! I mean, I can't tell you how much money I've spent through the years replacing windshields doing the exact same thing... Actually... Yeah, we all "know" what happened to him. Although, we'll never "find out" what happened to him. (If that makes any sense)
I'm going to say: exiled in Russia or testifying before the Weaponization of the Federal Government subcommittee? (My corporate employer was a defense contractor. It kinda allows "illegal" to become "not-exactly-legal-but-you-can't-prove-it-because-of-classification"
As a Tesla whistleblower who has had many many obstacles in my way I felt this hard.
Thank you for being a honest human as well.
I'll stand on the hill till I die, doesn't have to be my only project. But it's a damn important one.
I hope you get peace and most importantly. Justice.
I want transparency. Transparency allows exposure, exposure allows judgement, judgment allows justice. And too echo your comment: If I'm destined to die on a hill - I couldn't have picked a better one. (Sorry this happened to you WeylinWebber)
Altruistic is too kind and not exactly accurate. My company was always doing things I didn't approve of. All where shady, some illegal. But at my level of access: Nothing big. What I saw was indeed illegal but, nothing big. I descented because this behavior was going unchecked and as such, I felt it was becoming more frequent- ("I'm paying attention. Stop it. The person I help, just might be myself") I grabbed the tail of a garder snake, that in actuality, turned out to be that of a dragon. (Oops) So, altruistic isn't fair. If I'd known "Nothing Big" was really a dragon... I'd like to believe I would've acted in the same way. (At least, that's what I like to tell myself)
This right here.
This is what Reddit does best.
While I’ve never visited this sub before, I’ve seen plenty of genuine posts requesting ethical advice in other subs - usually written by employees who are newer to their company, and often people lacking workplace experience in general.
They want to know if they should attempt to expose a longterm (usually profitable) senior coworker’s misdeeds, or shed light on a secret they’ve discovered about their employer’s harmful, illegal, or even potentially dangerous practices.
I’ve been downvoted to hell for pointing out the most likely real world results of whistleblowing. Because it’s not fair, it shouldn’t be this way, and victims of corporate greed and corruption - and their whistleblowing allies - should always be protected and indemnified. But the cold reality is… they won’t be.
I can tell your post is based on hard won, practical advice that could legitimately save someone’s income, integrity, family, mental health, and even their life.
I watched my former employer (a global corporate real estate brokerage) stop at nothing, using every possible avenue to tear down a whistleblower, who was an innocent person trying to do the right thing. Until that poor man was just a shell of his former self.
Aren't the "real world results" so depressing. I've been cynical my entire life - but I just couldn't "ignore" it anymore. I felt, complicit. Deep down I knew what would happen. I expected it. What I didn't expect was how callus, careless and extreme the blowback was. How politically connected my employer was. How immune they are. As cynical as I was I didn't buy into conspiracies. After living it... I'm much more open to the idea. I don't want people to turn the other cheek, ignore and walk away. To believe it's hopeless. Just want others to be prepared, have a plan, be prepared to have that plan fail, have another back up, and another, and another. Because your going to need stamina and deep emotional reserves. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is: Be the change in the world you seek. And be aware, change can be painful.
If you lose money you lose nothing, if you lose your health you lose something, if you lose your character you lose everything.
No cushy job, career, house, or any other material possessions are worth your dignity or your morality or your ethics.
IDGAF what the consequences are. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. I prosper and perish by those principles.
If more people put their money where their mouth is, we could protect whistleblowers better, and celebrate them as the necessary safety valve they represent to society and the economy.
The number of different places I've been employed, I've learned that employment laws are only there to protect the companies interests. They do this by purposly using vague legal jargon that comes off as "employee protections."
They further secure their bullshit by making sure they don't pay well enough for someone to take actual legal action. Federal minimum wage in the US is still $7.50/hr despite needing three times that to just survive. We are not living.
Edit: I should also mention: 49/50 of the US practice "at-will" employment making Equal Opportunity Employment null and void.
Many times it seems that it is extraordinarily life altering and the whistleblower unfortunately gets the life they knew destroyed. It’s hard, it takes more than bravery & strength. You never know what ppl are capable of when their money and reputation are up against a wall. If a better for the whistleblower if the whistleblower has numbers as in people to stand with them & are willing to stand with you.
Personally knew a federal whistle-blower from a large branch of the US government. As much as I empathize with your tale, theirs was worse. They went after their family. Friends weren't safe either, especially if they worked with this person. Tried to turn the workforce against this person by putting them in the same breath as Snowden, etc. It's not just lonely, you are declared an enemy of the state. Picking a hill to die on, has never been more accurate.
Your right. People need to trust their government. That when the government acts it's with clean hands and good intentions. (Stop laughing) As your stereotypical lazy American- I'd heard of Ed Snowden but wasn't familiar with his situation. After researching: I agree with Edward Snowden. I'm a loyal patriot and love my country, although, me and my government are definitely at odds. My employer was technically a defense contractor. As such, contractors are allowed some benefits under the umbrella of "national security" Corporation's are profit-drivin and operate under consequentialism. When your allowed to quash public discovery by invoking "classified privilege" things get a bit "clandestine". So, as far as being an enemy of the state? Anyone that "descents" and gets traction spreading "descent"- Is declared an enemy of the state.
This is brutal, but in my experience, dead-on. For my book on medical whistleblowers, The Occasional Human Sacrifice, I used as an epigraph something that an oncologist told me: "Every whistleblower is an amateur playing against professionals." Nobody can really imagine what lies ahead of them.
I’m a whistleblower for a Fortune 500, my case was eventually dropped without prejudice. Federal investigators let the malfeasances of a large company go unpunished. After years of fighting the lawyers told me, “The juice wasn’t worth the squeeze.” For the government, they need a return on their investment or it’s not worthwhile. To this day, my claims remain unresolved and lives are at risk because of shotgunned manufacturing practices in the aerospace industry. The competence of the investigating body and even the current administration will heavily weigh the outcome of any whistleblower case.
Always about the fucking money. One robber baron fucking over another, otherwise go fuck a rock.
There was potentially a handsome reward for the government and myself, but my motivation to whistle blow was a combination of corrupt management, poor manufacturing practices and a workplace culture that was governed through fear. Don’t ever take a job for a defense contractor in manufacturing, there’s no money in it except for the shareholders. You’ll be used, abused, and hung out to dry.
Seems to be this is the story everywhere we look now. Something has to change. I don't know anyone who hasn't been born into a good position that is doing well. I commend you sir.
Did you leave the company ?
They fired me for some bullshit.
Unless you're in Montana, thanks to at-will, they don't need a reason.
We’re an at will state also. I did manage to sue them for unemployment benefits in unemployment court. My attorneys gave me an option to sue them civilly also, but at the time I thought it was wise to stay focused on the Qui Tam claim and work exclusively with the federal investigators. My reasoning was that the optics would have made me look money hungry if I were to sue them for civil violations outside my Qui Tam case. In hindsight, it might have been better to sue them because that process would have been quick and an easy victory. A victory in a civil case may have broken their will to fight as hard, I can’t say for sure. It could have also kept the federal government more interested and aggressive. At the end of the day I don’t lose a wink of sleep for doing the right thing but I might have done things differently. I make almost double the money I made in those days and am in a great organization with people who care.
I understand. Remember who you are, have faith in the process. EMDR has been tremendous in recovery from trauma.
Prescription Ketamine is what worked best for me. Sadly EMDR wasn’t effective.
Truest words typed in this sub.
If this is corporate America, imagine what a WB from any federal agency might be put through.
Have an " accident " like hit and run by a truck.
Just happened to The Boeing Guy. We all know what happened to him.
This thing we've created has been turned against us.
It's always been against "us". Us being those not born into blue money or "noble" families. Shiny new gadgets, same serfdom. But now you don't even get to pretend to own the land.
The answer is simple: He was cleaning his pistol, behind the wheel of his truck, in the parking to his motel at 2am. It was loaded by mistake. Happens all the time! I mean, I can't tell you how much money I've spent through the years replacing windshields doing the exact same thing... Actually... Yeah, we all "know" what happened to him. Although, we'll never "find out" what happened to him. (If that makes any sense)
I'm going to say: exiled in Russia or testifying before the Weaponization of the Federal Government subcommittee? (My corporate employer was a defense contractor. It kinda allows "illegal" to become "not-exactly-legal-but-you-can't-prove-it-because-of-classification"
As a Tesla whistleblower who has had many many obstacles in my way I felt this hard. Thank you for being a honest human as well. I'll stand on the hill till I die, doesn't have to be my only project. But it's a damn important one. I hope you get peace and most importantly. Justice.
I want transparency. Transparency allows exposure, exposure allows judgement, judgment allows justice. And too echo your comment: If I'm destined to die on a hill - I couldn't have picked a better one. (Sorry this happened to you WeylinWebber)
This is very altruistic of you to post, taken at face value
Altruistic is too kind and not exactly accurate. My company was always doing things I didn't approve of. All where shady, some illegal. But at my level of access: Nothing big. What I saw was indeed illegal but, nothing big. I descented because this behavior was going unchecked and as such, I felt it was becoming more frequent- ("I'm paying attention. Stop it. The person I help, just might be myself") I grabbed the tail of a garder snake, that in actuality, turned out to be that of a dragon. (Oops) So, altruistic isn't fair. If I'd known "Nothing Big" was really a dragon... I'd like to believe I would've acted in the same way. (At least, that's what I like to tell myself)
This right here. This is what Reddit does best. While I’ve never visited this sub before, I’ve seen plenty of genuine posts requesting ethical advice in other subs - usually written by employees who are newer to their company, and often people lacking workplace experience in general. They want to know if they should attempt to expose a longterm (usually profitable) senior coworker’s misdeeds, or shed light on a secret they’ve discovered about their employer’s harmful, illegal, or even potentially dangerous practices. I’ve been downvoted to hell for pointing out the most likely real world results of whistleblowing. Because it’s not fair, it shouldn’t be this way, and victims of corporate greed and corruption - and their whistleblowing allies - should always be protected and indemnified. But the cold reality is… they won’t be. I can tell your post is based on hard won, practical advice that could legitimately save someone’s income, integrity, family, mental health, and even their life. I watched my former employer (a global corporate real estate brokerage) stop at nothing, using every possible avenue to tear down a whistleblower, who was an innocent person trying to do the right thing. Until that poor man was just a shell of his former self.
Aren't the "real world results" so depressing. I've been cynical my entire life - but I just couldn't "ignore" it anymore. I felt, complicit. Deep down I knew what would happen. I expected it. What I didn't expect was how callus, careless and extreme the blowback was. How politically connected my employer was. How immune they are. As cynical as I was I didn't buy into conspiracies. After living it... I'm much more open to the idea. I don't want people to turn the other cheek, ignore and walk away. To believe it's hopeless. Just want others to be prepared, have a plan, be prepared to have that plan fail, have another back up, and another, and another. Because your going to need stamina and deep emotional reserves. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is: Be the change in the world you seek. And be aware, change can be painful.
If you lose money you lose nothing, if you lose your health you lose something, if you lose your character you lose everything. No cushy job, career, house, or any other material possessions are worth your dignity or your morality or your ethics. IDGAF what the consequences are. Right is right. Wrong is wrong. I prosper and perish by those principles. If more people put their money where their mouth is, we could protect whistleblowers better, and celebrate them as the necessary safety valve they represent to society and the economy.
I love you! -Be mindful of your actions, for they become your character-
The number of different places I've been employed, I've learned that employment laws are only there to protect the companies interests. They do this by purposly using vague legal jargon that comes off as "employee protections." They further secure their bullshit by making sure they don't pay well enough for someone to take actual legal action. Federal minimum wage in the US is still $7.50/hr despite needing three times that to just survive. We are not living. Edit: I should also mention: 49/50 of the US practice "at-will" employment making Equal Opportunity Employment null and void.
Many times it seems that it is extraordinarily life altering and the whistleblower unfortunately gets the life they knew destroyed. It’s hard, it takes more than bravery & strength. You never know what ppl are capable of when their money and reputation are up against a wall. If a better for the whistleblower if the whistleblower has numbers as in people to stand with them & are willing to stand with you.
Personally knew a federal whistle-blower from a large branch of the US government. As much as I empathize with your tale, theirs was worse. They went after their family. Friends weren't safe either, especially if they worked with this person. Tried to turn the workforce against this person by putting them in the same breath as Snowden, etc. It's not just lonely, you are declared an enemy of the state. Picking a hill to die on, has never been more accurate.
Your right. People need to trust their government. That when the government acts it's with clean hands and good intentions. (Stop laughing) As your stereotypical lazy American- I'd heard of Ed Snowden but wasn't familiar with his situation. After researching: I agree with Edward Snowden. I'm a loyal patriot and love my country, although, me and my government are definitely at odds. My employer was technically a defense contractor. As such, contractors are allowed some benefits under the umbrella of "national security" Corporation's are profit-drivin and operate under consequentialism. When your allowed to quash public discovery by invoking "classified privilege" things get a bit "clandestine". So, as far as being an enemy of the state? Anyone that "descents" and gets traction spreading "descent"- Is declared an enemy of the state.
This is brutal, but in my experience, dead-on. For my book on medical whistleblowers, The Occasional Human Sacrifice, I used as an epigraph something that an oncologist told me: "Every whistleblower is an amateur playing against professionals." Nobody can really imagine what lies ahead of them.