I.R.S. Rewards Employee-Informant $4.5 Million

NEW YORK, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Noted employee advocate Alan L. Sklover today reports that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service has recently issued its first-ever award to an employee for providing information that led to collection of unpaid taxes, interest and penalties. And, he provides the 8 Keys to the Reward Program.

Noted author, attorney and blogger, Alan L. Sklover, has just posted an illuminating article on his blogsite, SkloverWorkingWisdom.com entitled "I.R.S. Pays Employee $4.5 Million for Reporting Employer Tax Cheating." The employee who received the award was a Philadelphia accountant for a financial services firm. In accordance with law, his or her name has been kept secret.  The total amount recovered by the I.R.S. as a result of this Informant was approximately $20 million.

The I.R.S. program, called the "Informant Award" program, provides for payment to the informant of 15% to 30% of the amount collected by the I.R.S., including all penalties, interest and additional taxes. It is viewed as encouraging corporate taxpayers, in particular, to pay their legally-required taxes. It was inspired by the dramatic success of the nation's major fraud-fighting whistleblower law, called the False Claims Act, which has recovered more than $25 billion for the government since 1986 – and has paid more than $2.7 billion to whistleblowers.

"Some people want to raise taxes," noted Sklover, "while other people want to reduce government spending." "But," Sklover pointed out, "absolutely everyone wants to collect taxes from tax cheaters . . . except of course the cheaters, themselves." U.S. Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) commented, this law "ought to encourage a lot of other people to squeal" about the tax-cheating ways of their employers.  

In his blogsite article, Alan Sklover offers 8 practical keys to understanding the I.R.S. Informant "Goldmine" Program.  His blogsite also offers a Model Application Form to File an Informant Award application, along with supplementary materials. Mr. Sklover is experienced in the filing of successful federal whistleblower claims.  

Such insights about "navigating and negotiating," and thriving and surviving employment in today's workplace – and free videos, sample memos and letters, and career coaching and counseling – are available at SkloverWorkingWisdom.com. Insights are invaluable. Subscriptions are free.

SOURCE Alan L. Sklover