As many companies return to an in-person workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic, now is an excellent time to assess the company's whistleblower polices and internal reporting mechanisms.

The increased visibility of whistleblower programs has been one of the biggest developments in government-investigations practice over the last decade. For example, the SEC's whistleblower program, which encourages individuals to report violations of the securities laws and the laws prohibiting bribery of foreign officials, began in 2011.

Fast forward to the end of March 2021, halfway into the SEC's 2021 fiscal year, the SEC reported it had awarded almost $200 million in whistleblower awards to 40 individuals for the year, already beating the entire previous fiscal year, in which 39 individuals were awarded $175 million, itself a record at the time.