Editorial Note on Part 240
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 240 appear at 57 FR 36501, Aug. 13, 1992, and 57 FR 47409, Oct. 16, 1992.

§ 240.21F-2 Whistleblower status, award eligibility, confidentiality, and retaliation protections. ( a ) *Whistleblower status.* ( 1 ) You are a whistleblower for purposes of Section 21F of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78u-6) as of the time that, alone or jointly with others, you provide the Commission with information in writing that relates to a possible violation of the federal securities laws (including any law, rule, or regulation subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission) that has occurred, is ongoing, or is about to occur.
( 2 ) A whistleblower must be an individual. A company or other entity is not eligible to be a whistleblower.
( b ) *Award eligibility.* To be eligible for an award under Section 21F(b) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78u-6(b)) based on any information you provide that relates to a possible violation of the federal securities laws, you must comply with the procedures and the conditions described in §§ 240.21F-4, 240.21F-8, and 240.21F-9. You should carefully review those rules before you submit any information that you may later wish to rely upon to claim an award.
( c ) *Confidentiality protections.* To qualify for the confidentiality protections afforded by Section 21F(h)(2) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78u-6(h)(2)) based on any information you provide that relates to a possible violation of the federal securities laws, you must comply with the procedures and the conditions described in Rule 21F-9(a) (§ 240.21F-9(a)).
( d ) *Retaliation protections.* ( 1 ) To qualify for the retaliation protections afforded by Section 21F(h)(1) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78u-6(h)(1)), you must satisfy all of the following criteria: ( i ) You must qualify as a whistleblower under paragraph (a) of this section before experiencing the retaliation for which you seek redress;
( ii ) You must reasonably believe that the information you provide to the Commission under paragraph (a) of this section relates to a possible violation of the federal securities laws; and
( iii ) You must perform a lawful act that meets the following two criteria: ( A ) First, the lawful act must be performed in connection with any of the activities described in Section 21F(h)(1)(A)(i) through (iii) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78u-6(h)(1)(A)(i) through (iii)); and
( B ) Second, the lawful act must relate to the subject matter of your submission to the Commission under paragraph (a) of this section.
( 2 ) To receive retaliation protection for a lawful act described in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section, you do not need to qualify as a whistleblower under paragraph (a) of this section before performing the lawful act, but you must qualify as a whistleblower under paragraph (a) of this section before experiencing retaliation for the lawful act.
( 3 ) To qualify for retaliation protection, you do not need to satisfy the procedures and conditions for award eligibility in §§ 240.21F-4, 240.21F-8, and 240.21F-9.
( 4 ) Section 21F(h)(1) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78u-6(h)(1)), including any rules promulgated thereunder, shall be enforceable in an action or proceeding brought by the Commission.
[85 FR 75942, Nov. 5, 2020]