Mann v. Heckler & Koch Defense, Inc., 09-1847

Mann v. Heckler & Koch Defense, Inc., 09-1847, concerned a plaintiff's retaliation action against his former employer under the False Claims Act, claiming that defendant took adverse employment action against him because he investigated and opposed defendant's attempts to defraud the United States, in connection with defendant's bid in response to the Secret Service's contract solicitation for rifles.


In affirming the district court's grant of defendant's motion for summary judgment, the court held that plaintiff's actions fall outside the scope of FCA protection as the FCA shields employees from retaliation when they oppose fraud.  Thus, the court held that here, the conduct plaintiff opposed involved nothing more than non-fraudulent statements made by defendant during the course of a contractual bidding process.

Related Link:

• Read the Fourth Circuit's Full Decision in Mann v. Heckler & Koch Defense, Inc., 09-1847