Whistleblowing
Employers should have a whistleblowing (protected disclosure) procedure for a worker to raise genuine concerns about a colleague’s conduct or the employer’s practices.
The procedure should allow for the worker to raise these concerns with a nominated person and set out the steps that the employer will take in response.
A disclosure will be protected if the employee reasonably believes that the disclosure is made in the public interest. Protections include the right not to be unfairly dismissed or to suffer a detriment for blowing the whistle.
Nurse unfairly dismissed for wanting to commence NHS whistleblowing process
A senior district nurse with 38 years’ experience was unfairly dismissed after she told management of her wish to instigate...
Acas issues guidance on use of non-disclosure agreements
Non-disclosure agreements must not be used to stop someone from reporting discrimination or sexual harassment or from blowing the whistle...
Paterson inquiry: HR processes ‘stood in way of patient safety’
The confidential nature of HR processes in the NHS “stood in the way of patient safety”, according to the independent...
Hospital bosses asked for fingerprints to identify whistleblower
An NHS trust requested fingerprints in an attempt to identify a whistleblower...
Lloyd’s of London whistleblowing hotline inactive for 16 months
Lloyd’s of London’s whistleblowing hotline – the only anonymous channel for employees to report concerns – was not operational for more than a year.
Whistleblowing nurse awarded £127,000 following dismissal
A whistleblower who complained that staff at an NHS trust were being bullied and not given proper breaks has been...
The 10 most important employment law cases in 2019
We round up the most significant cases of the year including legal judgments on CCTV, restrictive covenants, enhancing shared parental leave, collective bargaining and more...
Movers and shakers: Protect, NHS, The Collective and Marshall Motors
Personnel Today’s first far-from-exhaustive listing of appointments in the HR world includes a new NHS post to promote flexible working...
Supreme Court’s unfair dismissal ruling in Royal Mail case gives pause for thought
This recent case should sound an alert for companies looking to dismiss staff for...
Supreme Court: Whistleblowing led to Royal Mail employee’s dismissal
A Royal Mail employee was unfairly dismissed for blowing the whistle, not for the alleged poor performance – based on...
CIPD Annual Conference: “Good work is about fairness and transparency”
HR has a crucial role in promoting responsible and transparent leadership...
Judges entitled to whistleblowing protections, but are not ‘workers’
Judges and other non-contractual office holders are protected if they blow the whistle but they cannot be classified as “workers”,...
Tribunal case bolsters protection for potential whistleblowers
An employment tribunal last month concluded a case that could prove highly significant for potential whistleblowers.
Three quarters of whistleblowers ‘retaliated against’ by their employer
Three-quarters of whistleblowers experience retaliation from their employer including bullying, attempts to destroy evidence and dismissal, according to a group...
Whistleblowing v grievance: how should sexual harassment be raised?
Following high-profile allegations of sexual harassment by staff, employees are now more empowered to speak up about inappropriate behaviour than...
