Payment limitations

(a) The department shall pay a financial incentive when: (1) the person reporting has not materially participated in or benefited from any of the fraudulent activity being reported; and (2) a direct correlation exists between the information reported and amounts recovered by the state as a result of such report; and (3) the person reporting submits a claim for the financial incentive, in writing, on a form specified by the department and files it within six months from the date of when the vendor fraud was first reported; (b) The department shall not pay a financial incentive when: (1) the person reporting requests anonymity; or (2) a claim is made regarding a case where the department or other state or federal agency has initiated an audit, investigation or similar proceedings prior to the person reporting the fraud; or (3) the person reporting or a member of his immediate family is employed in a job which requires auditing, investigation or enforcement involving the programs under the jurisdiction of the department.