What is Whistleblowing?
The term whistleblowing has received a lot more spotlight in recent years due to the collapses of the mortgage and banking industries as well as with the rise of social media. It is defined as raising a concern about a wrong doing within an organization. The concern must be a genuine concern about a crime, criminal offense, miscarriage of justice, dangers to the health and safety of an environment and/or the cover up of any of these things. It is officially called “making a disclosure in public interest”. Corrupt business practices are often unearthed by whistleblowers before they are found by regulatory agencies.
Whistleblowing can be nerve racking for the individual who is submitting the information. Often they are worried about repercussions, their own reputation and their ability to continue to maintain gainful employment. Many of us have hear the mantra “nobody likes a tattle tale” for the majority of our lives however when it comes to blowing the whistle on corrupt or inappropriate business practices, fear of being a “tattler” needs to take a back seat to doing the right thing.
The first whistleblowing law was enacted on July 30th, 1778 by the Continental Congress after two Navy corpsmen blew the whistle and were subjected to severe retaliation by then commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy. Since then, the policies surrounding whistleblowing and protection of those who do it have been changed and modified to suit current times.
Most companies have enacted their own policies and procedures to ensure the protection of whistleblowers. Employer Solutions Plus can help you design yours or help you find a great partner (such as a PEO) that offers support as one of its many benefits! Contact us today for a consultation.
Be sure to stay tuned! Our next blog will feature an overview of the OSHA Whistleblower Protection Program.