Even in today’s day and age, some companies think they can get away with wrongfully terminating an employee. Regardless of whether or not the company understands what it is doing, it does not change the fact that this is illegal.
Our California readers will find this story interesting, as a North Hollywood man has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against his former employer, WellPoint Companies of California, for wrongful termination, retaliation and violations of the whistle-blowing law.
According to the former auditor, he was fired by his employer for reporting to management that his direct boss asked him to illegally change dates on Medicare reports, while also lying about his personal expenses. According to the complaint filed with the court, the man was hired in Aug. 2010 as a temporary worker and was granted a full-time job in Feb. 2011. However, he was fired that same December.
The complaint claims that three weeks after being hired as a full-time employee, he was directed by his supervisor to backdate audit reports to show that they were conducted in Dec. 2010, as opposed to the accurate date of Feb. 2011.
In Dec. 2011, the man received an email from his employer stating that audit results prepared during the third quarter would be withheld. He then forwarded the email to the compliance department. Rather than being rewarded for his honesty, however, the company wrongfully terminated his employment.
There can be a lot of gray area when it comes to employees who feel they have been wrongfully terminated. Employment law attorneys can help those who have been subjected to such practices by providing guidance and options.
Source: North Hollywood Patch, “North Hollywood Man Sues Ex-Employer Over Alleged False Audits” Arin Mikailian, Nov. 18, 2013
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