Claire Beniga, Author at Keller Grover

New law: Workplace sexual harassment victims can’t be silenced

New landmark legislation ensures workplace victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault can have their days in court — regardless of whatever clauses may be folded into their employment contracts. During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we wanted to highlight this new federal protection for workers. Last month, President Joe Biden signed into law the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021, which passed with bipartisan support. In a nutshell, when … [Read more...]

Sutter Health settlement part of record year for whistleblower recoveries

A record $90 million False Claims Act settlement for the government as a result of a whistleblower lawsuit by a Keller Grover client was among the cases highlighted by the U.S. Department of Justice in a recent announcement touting its 2021 recoveries under the Act. On Feb. 1, Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton announced DOJ had recovered more than $5.6 billion from False Claims Act settlements and judgments in the 2021 fiscal year, the largest amount since 2014 and the … [Read more...]

Whistleblowers ‘eyes and ears’ to combat taxpayer fraud

Increases in government spending to address the COVID-19 pandemic “have led to an unprecedented level of theft of federal funds,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) warned in recent remarks commemorating the 159th anniversary of the False Claims Act on March 2. In a broadcast by the National Whistleblower Center, Sen. Grassley said such spending has made the law, which is designed to combat fraud of taxpayer dollars, “more important than ever.” The False Claims Act, also known as the FCA, was … [Read more...]

U.S. Supreme Court to consider California employment law

A California employment law that gives workers more leverage when they’re mistreated by employers has caught the attention of the U.S. Supreme Court, and the docket reflects a flurry of arguments filed by many interested parties — often representing businesses. As advocates for California workers, we’re following the issue closely. The high court is expected to make a decision by the summer. At issue: The California Private Attorneys General Act, better known as PAGA, which provides a way … [Read more...]

Whistleblower plaintiffs score win in California Supreme Court

In a significant ruling for California workers, the California Supreme Court recently clarified that a whistleblower retaliation plaintiff and others like him have a lower bar to sue their employers. The high court’s Jan. 27 ruling came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit asked it to clear up California courts’ mixed approach to what evidentiary standard applies in these cases. Some courts have applied the McDonnell Douglas test — named for the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court … [Read more...]