§ 108A-70.15. Employee remedies.
§ 108A‑70.15. Employee remedies.
(a) In the absence of fraud or malice, no person who furnishesinformation to officials of the State responsible for investigating falseclaims violations shall be liable for damages in a civil action for any oral orwritten statement made or any other action that is necessary to supplyinformation required pursuant to this Part.
(b) Any employee of a provider who is discharged, demoted,suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner discriminated againstin the terms and conditions of employment by the employee's employer because oflawful acts done by the employee on behalf of the employee or others infurtherance of an action under G.S. 108A‑70.12, including investigationfor, initiation of, testimony for, or assistance in an action filed or to befiled under G.S. 108A‑70.12, shall be entitled to all relief necessary tomake the employee whole. Relief shall include reinstatement with the sameseniority status as the employee would have had but for the discrimination, twotimes the amount of back pay, interest on the back pay, and compensation forany special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination, includinglitigation costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. An employee may bring anaction in the appropriate court for the relief provided in this section. (1997‑338, s. 1.)