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Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Whistleblower Protection Policies

WilmerHale

SEC Continues Scrutiny of Provisions That Might Impede Whistleblowers

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On September 9, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settled charges against seven public companies for violations of certain whistleblower protections provided by Rule 21F-17 under the Securities...more

Seward & Kissel LLP

Recent SEC Enforcements for Violations of Whistleblower Protection Rule

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On September 9, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced it settled enforcement actions against seven public companies for alleged violations of its whistleblower protection rule in their...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Are Whistleblower Protection Violations the New SEC Sweep?

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues to investigate companies for including language in their employment and separation agreements or retail client settlement agreements that potentially discourages...more

Hogan Lovells

SEC, whistleblowers and impact on employment-related agreements

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On September 9, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced it had settled charges against seven public companies that utilized employment and employment-related agreements that the SEC believed violated its...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

False Narratives Around False Whistleblower Reporting: Finding the 0.0027%

Critics of whistleblower award laws commonly claim that whistleblower awards will lead to frivolous and speculative complaints aimed at damaging the reputation of individuals or companies. However, a close look at the data...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

CFPB Warns Employee NDAs, Confidentiality Agreements May Violate Whistleblower Laws

On July 24, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued guidance putting financial regulators and employers on notice that requiring employees to sign broad confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements that...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

For First Time, Whistleblower Receives SEC Award After Appealing Denial Before Court of Appeals

In April, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) awarded $400,000 to a whistleblower after previously denying the whistleblower’s award claim in 2022. The whistleblower appealed this denial before the Court of...more

Oberheiden P.C.

A Handbook for SEC Whistleblowers

Oberheiden P.C. on

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Whistleblower Program was created in Section 922 of the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, which amended the Securities Exchange Act to include a whistleblower provision. It has since...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

Will the DOJ Listen to the Whistleblower Community in Establishing Whistleblower Award Program?

On March 7, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) was initiating a “90-day sprint” to develop a whistleblower rewards program. In her announcement, Monaco emphasized the huge...more

Proskauer - California Employment Law

Whistleblower Protection Laws Do Not Apply Outside the United States

Daramola v. Oracle Am., Inc., 92 F.4th 833 (9th Cir. 2024) - Tayo Daramola is a Canadian citizen who resided in Montreal at all relevant times and who worked for Oracle Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oracle...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

OECD Recommendations and U.S. Anti-Corruption Strategy Show U.S. Should Award Whistleblowers who Report to Media

Both the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the U.S. Strategy on Countering Corruption recognize that the news media plays a vital role in the detection of bribery and other acts of corruption...more

DarrowEverett LLP

Actions vs. J.P. Morgan, Monolith Serve as SEC Compliance Check Reminders

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently settled charges against J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) for impeding hundreds of advisory clients and brokerage customers from reporting potential securities law...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

SEC’s Record Sanction Against JP Morgan for Impeding Whistleblowing is a Major Step

On January 16, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced a record $18 million sanction against JP Morgan for Rule 21F-17(a) violations, sending the strongest message yet that the SEC is cracking down on...more

BakerHostetler

Employers Beware: Broad Confidentiality and Severance Clauses May Violate Whistleblower Protection Laws

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Employers should check their confidentiality and severance agreements for a common oversight that, for some, is becoming a costly error. Recent enforcement activity by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Rule...more

Troutman Pepper

SEC's Whistleblower Program Sees Record Increase in Tips but Fewer Payouts

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Despite a 50% increase in whistleblower tips over fiscal year (FY) 2022, the number of whistleblowers who received awards from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decreased significantly in FY 2023. This trend...more

Proskauer Rose LLP

Top 10 Whistleblowing and Retaliation Events of 2023

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2023 was another groundbreaking year for whistleblower litigation and bounty awards. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shattered records by issuing a $279 million award and continued to actively enforce the...more

Akerman LLP - HR Defense

Jingle All the Way to the SEC: Employers (Even Privately Held) Under Scrutiny for Language in Separation Agreements Impeding SEC...

While jingle bells have only just begun to ring, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement bells have been ringing steadily throughout year. In recent months, the SEC announced significant settlements with...more

Troutman Pepper

Top 10 Tips for Drafting Whistleblower Compliant Arrangements

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Background - Under Section 922 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, Congress expanded protections for whistleblowers reporting possible violations of federal securities laws to the...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

SEC, CFTC Pass $2 Billion Award Milestone but Reforms are Still Needed

Combined, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have awarded more than $2 billion to whistleblowers. The agencies’ whistleblower programs, which were created...more

Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto LLP

The SEC is Receiving More Whistleblower Tips than Ever, Underscoring Importance of Reform

On October 25, Gary Gensler, Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), revealed that in the 2023 Fiscal Year the SEC Whistleblower Program the SEC Whistleblower Program received 18,000 whistleblower tips, a...more

Thomas Fox - Compliance Evangelist

Pre-Taliation Continues to Rear It’s Ugly Head

DE Shaw, a prominent financial services firm, recently settled a retaliation case with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a staggering $10 million. It was settled via an Administrative Order. This settlement...more

Freiberger Haber LLP

Enforcement News: SEC Charges Investment Advisor With Violating Whistleblower Protection Rule

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We have often written about the SEC’s whistleblower program and, in particular, the success of the program with respect to detecting and preventing violations of the federal securities laws. The success of the program...more

Seward & Kissel LLP

Employment Law Alert: Recent SEC Fines for Failure to Provide Whistleblower Protections

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Rule 21F-17 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Rule 21F-17”), adopted under Dodd-Frank, prohibits employers from “tak[ing] any action to impede an individual from communication directly with [SEC staff] about a possible...more

Wiley Rein LLP

Think Because You Are a Private Company the SEC Is Not Your Problem? Think Again (and review those separation agreements)

Wiley Rein LLP on

What: Twice this month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced settled actions against entities for violating SEC Rule 21F-17(a) related to language in their separation agreements, including one against a...more

SECIL Law

Companies Should (Again) Review Releases They Sign With Departing Employees—The SEC Is Not Going To Lose Interest In This Issue

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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in a couple of recent settled actions, continues to warn companies that the practice of requiring departing employees to sign comprehensive releases in return for...more

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