Whistleblower FAQ Plain English Answers

A whistleblower is a person who reports wrongdoing.

Wrongdoing means:

• Illegal acts
• Unsafe behavior
• Abuse of power
• Wasting public money

Nevada whistleblower law protects public employees only.

You are covered if you work for:

• Nevada state government
• A county government
• A city government
• A school district

The main law is NRS 281.611-281.671.

All of the following must be true:

• You work for a public employer
• You report government wrongdoing
• You report in good faith

You do not have to be perfect. You just have to be honest.

Nevada law protects you when you report to:

• Your supervisor or manager
• Internal auditors or inspectors
• Ethics officials
• Law enforcement officers
• Prosecutors or investigators

These are called protected reporting channels.

Media reporting can be risky and depends on the situation.

You should understand the risk before going public.

This is the legal term used in Nevada law.

It includes:

• Breaking laws or rules
• Abuse of authority
• Misusing government power
• Creating danger to public health or safety
• Gross waste of public money
• Hiding, altering, or destroying public records

These examples may qualify:

• Awarding contracts to family or friends
• Falsifying timecards or payroll records
• Using government credit cards for personal purchases
• Ignoring serious safety violations
• Changing or deleting public records
• Large or repeated theft of public property

No.

You do not need:

• Video evidence
• Signed confessions
• Perfect documentation

You only need:

• A reasonable belief
• Honest reporting

You are not protected if you:

• Knowingly make false claims
• Report for revenge or personal gain
• Steal documents you are not allowed to access
• Share classified or sealed records
• Break other serious laws while reporting

Retaliation means punishment for reporting wrongdoing.

Under Nevada law, your employer cannot legally:

• Fire you
• Demote you
• Cut your pay
• Harass you
• Threaten you
• Give fake bad reviews
• Deny promotions
• Move you to a worse job

Yes.

You have up to 2 years to file a retaliation claim after the retaliation happens.

This is called a statute of limitations.

Some state employees must file a form called NPD-53.

Important points:

• Some employees must file within 10 working days
• This rule does not apply to everyone
• Different public employees have different procedures

No, a lawyer is not required.

But a lawyer can help if:

• Retaliation is serious
• Your employer has lawyers
• You want full compensation
• You are filing a False Claims Act case

Yes, anonymous reporting is possible in many cases.

You can submit information anonymously to:

• Whistleblower organizations
• Some government hotlines

However:

• To file a formal retaliation case, you must identify yourself
• Hearings require your participation

If retaliation is proven, you may receive:

• Your job back
• Back pay
• Restored benefits
• Restored seniority
• Clean personnel records
• Attorney fees

Yes, under the False Claims Act, if fraud involves government money.

Possible rewards:

• 15-25% if government joins the case
• 25-30% if you pursue it yourself

Before reporting:

• Write down dates, names, and details
• Keep legal copies only
• Store evidence away from work systems
• Do not alter records

• Separate reporting from evidence storage
• Expect retaliation to be delayed
• Document neutral events too
• Learn what the law does not protect

• Do not report from work computers
• Do not use work phones
• Do not use work email
• Do not use employer VPN or Wi-Fi

• Do not take records you are not allowed to access
• Do not download restricted files
• Do not copy sealed, classified, or protected records

• Do not alter emails
• Do not edit documents
• Do not change dates or wording

• Do not guess
• Do not add details you are unsure about
• Do not make claims you cannot honestly explain

• Do not rush to social media
• Do not post on public forums
• Do not contact reporters without understanding the law

• Do not assume retaliation will stop
• Do not miss deadlines
• Do not delay documentation

• Do not rely on verbal promises
• Do not assume HR is neutral
• Do not assume managers are on your side