On March 25, 2025, in Smith v. Coupang,[1] the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington denied Coupang, Inc.’s motion to dismiss its former employee’s SOX and state law whistleblower claims despite the plaintiff working in South Korea for a South Korean subsidiary of a
Former Executive Secures $34.5 Million Settlement in Whistleblower Retaliation Case
On March 20, 2025, in Zornoza v. Terraform Global Inc. et al, No. 818-cv-02523 (D. Md. Apr. 4, 2025), a former executive of two SunEdison subsidiaries secured a $34.5 million settlement over his SOX whistleblower retaliation claims.
Background
Carlos Domenech Zornoza (the “Executive”), the former President and CEO of…
Third Circuit Refuses to Enforce Preliminary Reinstatement Order Issued By OSHA
On October 15, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Third Circuit declined to enforce a preliminary reinstatement order issued by OSHA in favor of two purported whistleblowers under SOX, holding that the former employees lost Article III standing after they abandoned the administrative process to instead challenge their terminations…
Ninth Circuit Revives Rail Worker’s Whistleblower Claims
By Lloyd B. Chinn, Pinchos Goldberg & Scott Tan on
The Ninth Circuit’s recent decision in Parker v. BNSF Railway Company, 112 F.4th 687 (9th Cir. 2024) underscores the burden faced by employers in defending against whistleblower retaliation claims assessed under the burden-shifting framework of the Federal Railroad Safety Act (“FRSA”), which provides that an employee may not be…
SEC Announces Slew of Enforcement Actions Regarding Whistleblower Protection Rule
By Steven J. Pearlman & Pinchos Goldberg on
The SEC recently announced the settlement of multiple enforcement actions for violations of its whistleblower protection rule, which prohibits “any action to impede an individual from communicating directly with the Commission staff about a possible securities law violation.” SEC Rule 21F-17(a). These settlements resulted in the targeted companies paying fines…
Texas District Court Grants Summary Judgment on SOX Whistleblower Counterclaim
By Lloyd B. Chinn & Pinchos Goldberg on
On August 6, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted an employer’s motion for summary judgment on a SOX whistleblower retaliation counterclaim, holding that the former employee failed to establish any of the elements of the claim and that the company would have taken the…
SEC Awards Two Whistleblowers More Than $98 Million
By Lloyd B. Chinn & Pinchos Goldberg on
SEC Announces $37 Million Award to Whistleblower
By Lloyd B. Chinn & Pinchos Goldberg on
On July 26, 2024, the SEC announced an award of more than $37 million to a whistleblower who first reported misconduct internally and subsequently provided information and assistance that led to a successful SEC enforcement action. (The order granting the award can be accessed here.)
Creola Kelly, Chief of…
DOJ Announces Development of a Pilot Whistleblower Rewards Program
On March 7, 2024, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) is creating a pilot whistleblower rewards program, which will be developed and implemented over the next 90 days, with a formal start date to be announced later in 2024.
According to the announcement…
CFTC Releases FY 2023 Annual Report on its Whistleblower Program
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) recently released its statutorily mandated 2023 Annual Report detailing the status of its whistleblower program for the fiscal year ending on September 20, 2023.
The CFTC’s whistleblower program pays awards to eligible whistleblowers who voluntarily provide original information about violations of the Commodity Exchange…