Qui tam (KEY tam) is an abbreviated version of a Latin phrase that means 'who as well for the king as for himself sues in this matter.' When this phrase is applied to labor and employment law, it simply means any action brought about by a private citizen on behalf of the federal government that can result in holding wrongdoers liable for government fraud. Under the Federal Civil False Claims Act, a qui tam action, also known as a whistleblower lawsuit, not only allows private citizens to prosecute individuals for defrauding government programs or contracts, but it also allows them to share in any money recovered from a successful fraud conviction.
