Qui Tam Suits by Government Employees

Ethics officials whose duties have involved qui tam suits by government employees may be interested in a March 30 decision from the U.S. District Court in Colorado.

While a 2003 Circuit Court opinion interpreted the False Claims Act expansively, this newer opinion limits the ability of federal employees to file qui tam actions. It holds that government employees who disclose fraud to their supervisors do not have standing to file suit. The rationale is that these disclosures are involuntary and done as part of their job duties. The POGO Blog provides that organization's views, with links to NY Times and Associated Press coverage.