Genuine protection for whistleblowers
Human Rights Law Centre says there has ‘not been a single successful case’ brought by a whistleblower under federal laws designed to protect those who speak out.
Establishing regulatory bodies is a step in the right direction but it will not matter if the officials within the regulatory body do not enforce whistleblower protections. To ensure they do enforce protections, there needs to be serious consequences against the officials who don’t.
The Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) released a report examining 78 court rulings in 70 separate cases in which whistleblowers sought protection under federal and state whistleblowing regimes.
The report found there had “not been a single successful case … brought by a whistleblower” under different federal laws designed to protect public or private sector employees who speak out about wrongdoing.
The report also recommends that whistleblowing laws be enforced by dedicated regulatory bodies and calls for whistleblower protection authorities to be established in each jurisdiction to advise and protect individuals. Read Article
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If organisations knew that the regulatory bodies would enforce protections, including holding board members and management personally accountable, then they would be less likely to risk causing detriment to a whistleblower, and whistleblowers would be more likely to come forward.
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Establishing regulatory bodies is a step in the right direction but it will not matter if the officials within the regulatory body do not enforce whistleblower protections. To ensure they do enforce protections, there needs to be serious consequences against the officials who don’t.
If organisations knew that the regulatory bodies would enforce protections, including holding board members and management personally accountable, then they would be less likely to risk causing detriment to a whistleblower, and whistleblowers would be more likely to come forward.