On November 3, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued proposed rules for implementing the whistleblower provisions added to Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Under the proposed rules, the SEC will pay an award or awards to one or more whistleblowers who voluntarily provide the SEC with original information that leads to the successful enforcement by the SEC of a federal court or administrative action in which the SEC obtains monetary sanctions totaling more than $1 million.

Under the proposed rules, a whistleblower is an individual who, alone or jointly with others, provides information to the SEC relating to a potential violation of the securities laws. A whistleblower must be a natural person. A company or another entity is not eligible to receive a whistleblower award.