Does Contract I Signed With Former Employer Bar Me From Reporting Illegal Activity?

[lifeisgood]

My question involves employment and labor law for the state of: Florida

My former employer had me sign a contract that states the following: "In view of the fact that Employee's work as an employee of [XYZ] will bring Employee into close contact with many confidential affairs of the Company and its affiliates, including matters of a business nature, such as information about costs, profits, markets, sales, and any other information not readily available to the public, and plans for future developments, Employee agrees: To keep secret all confidential matters of [XYZ] and its affiliates and not to disclose them to anyone outside of [XYZ], either during or after Employee's employment with [XYZ], except with Company's written consent."

I know for a fact my former employer broke tax laws. If I were to report my former employer to the IRS and/or the Better Business Bureau, would I be breaching this contract? Do I have any legal protection since I would be reporting criminal activities? For instance, would I be protected under anything such as Whisteblower laws? Thank you very much for your advice.

Besides tax laws, could I report my former employer to the Better Business Bureau for final paycheck issues, would that be a breach of contract?

[525601minutes]

If I were to report my former employer to the IRS and/or the Better Business Bureau, would I be breaching this contract?
Besides tax laws, could I report my former employer to the Better Business Bureau for final paycheck issues, would that be a breach of contract?

Reporting illegal tax activity to the IRS s not a breach of your contract.
The BBB does not handle pay disputes - report the problem to the labor board.

[lifeisgood]

Thank you very much for your advice. Do you (or any other reader) know if I would be breaching contract if I reported paycheck issues to the Department of Labor, as you suggested?

I just want to somehow potentially warn other possible future employees or even my employer's customers of his/her shady practices--but I also do not want to breach the contract or be sued. Even if I filed a report/claim with the DOL, would this info even be available to anyone researching the company? Thanks again.

[mlane58]

If you know of any law that is being violated and report it to the proper agency, it doesn't violate your confidentiality agreement and if he terminates you or takes any type of adverse action against you for doing so, that would be illegal retaliation.