Hawaii's False Claims Law; Qui Tam Actions

Both Hawaii and Federal laws allow whistleblowers to file lawsuits if they know of fraud that has caused the government to lose money. 

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If you know of illegal conduct by your employer, including the use of fraud to obtain funds, grants, and/or anything of value from the government, there are laws that recognize a specific type of legal action (known as a qui tam action) where an employee, or any private person, can bring a civil action against the company. 

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In certain scenarios, whistleblowers may receive between 15% and 25% of amounts recovered if the State or County intervene in the lawsuit, and between 25% and 30% of the recovery if the whistleblower prosecutes the action on their own. 

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Hawaii law also protects employees who bring these types of actions against their employers.  Employers are prohibited from discharging, demoting, suspending, threatening, harassing, or discriminating in any way against workers who report illegal conduct by the company. 

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If you believe these provisions of law apply to your situation, then feel free to contact the Sapolu Law Office or submit a message below to schedule a free case evaluation.  The Sapolu Law Office can utilize State and Federal laws to bring fraudulent conduct to light.

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What can you do? 

If you know of fraudulent or illegal conduct by a company which resulted in a loss of money by the government, you should contact an attorney immediately to evaluate the potential of filing a False Claims (also known as "Qui Tam") action. 

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If employed with the Company: ​​

• Consider submitting a written complaint to the company, 

• Follow the company's internal protocols for submitting complaints; 

• Make sure that your complaint is submitted in writing;

• Your written complaint should be worded as polite as can be, (avoid lashing out) and should be detailed; 

• Be the best employee you can be.  Don't give your employer a reason to fire you; and

• Document everything that happens.  A successful case will depend in large part on a clear timeline of events

• If you need additional assistance, or have questions, feel free to contact the Sapolu Law Office or submit a message below to schedule a free case evaluation. 

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If you were discharged or terminated from employment: 

• Call an attorney as soon as possible; 

• Don't sign any waivers or severance documents which may prevent you from filing a claim.  

  • If the company insists that you sign their paperwork, ask for more time to consult an attorney.  At a minimum, you could always say "I need some time to review this with my family and will get back to you within a few days."  Then make sure you follow up with an attorney. 

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