Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEmployment lawHR practiceEmployment tribunalsWhistleblowing

Disaffected City high-fliers ‘abuse’ whistleblowing law, Nomura HR chief claims

by Mike Berry 25 Sep 2007
by Mike Berry 25 Sep 2007

Increasing abuse of whistleblowing legislation by disgruntled City high-fliers has led to calls for employment tribunal procedures to be changed.

The Public Interest Disclosure Act, introduced in 1998, was designed to protect employees who raised workplace concerns about illegal or unsafe practices.

But a case last week highlighted how executives in the financial services sector are attempting to use the law to win big damages at tribunals, as awards in whistleblowing claims are uncapped.

Simon Hussey, a former bond salesman at City bank Nomura, claimed that his dismissal was due to “protected disclosures” he had made about financial wrongdoing at the Japanese bank. But the London tribunal rejected Hussey’s claim and found that Nomura was justified in dismissing him because of his poor performance.

Stephen Sidebottom, head of HR at Nomura, said executives were using the law “cynically” to extract more money from their former employers. “The growing use of [whistleblowing] legislation by white men as a litigation tactic, when in dispute with City employers, suggests the legislation is being abused,” he said.

He called on other City firms to follow Nomura’s example and take a stand by fighting these types of cases. Most companies tend to settle out of court to avoid a potentially damaging high-profile tribunal.

Guy Dehn, director of whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work, called on the government to throw off “the blanket of secrecy” in tribunal claims, which encouraged abuse, and publish both the employee’s claim and the employer’s defence simultaneously on the internet.

“At scant cost, this simple step will discourage both unscrupulous employees and employers playing fast and loose with the system,” he said.

Dehn added that the government should introduce the changes in the Employment Simplification Bill, which employers hope will cut red tape and improve the dispute resolution system. Details of the Bill are expected to be revealed next month.

‘Inadequate’ Whitehall procedures

Avatar
Mike Berry

previous post
Leitch adviser Mike Campbell offers to step in as skills envoy
next post
Nuclear skills academy approved by skills minister David Lammy

You may also like

Lego leader lands top spot for AI in...

22 Sep 2023

Managing the risks of ‘working from anywhere’ requests...

22 Sep 2023

Leavesden studios expansion to create 4,000 jobs

22 Sep 2023

What does it mean to be an HR...

22 Sep 2023

How to retain key talent using the power...

22 Sep 2023

Unions and industry voice irritation with green policy...

21 Sep 2023

AI in employment: the pitfalls and laws on...

21 Sep 2023

Coalition of firms sets out to boost diversity...

21 Sep 2023

Personnel Today Awards 2023 shortlist: Candidate Experience Award

21 Sep 2023

Top family-friendly employers for 2023 named

20 Sep 2023

  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+