Search
Close this search box.

HR News Update – Whistleblowers still not receiving adequate protection

HR News Update – Whistleblowers still not receiving adequate protection

Against a backdrop of recent revelations and some of the worst scandals to arise in the UK, a Public Accounts Committee Report issued today is highly critical of the treatment of whistleblowers and a perceived failure by Government to introduce effective law. 

The Report concludes that, in very many cases, employees do not know to whom they should report wrongdoing or malpractice in the workplace or, if they do so, that they are likely to face bullying and victimisation. The Report also finds considerable disconnect between whistleblowing policies in the workplace, which suggest a supportive approach, and how employers operate in practice Audrey Williams, Partner and Head of Discrimination at law firm Eversheds comments:“We are given to understand that improved guidance will also follow. The Government has committed to work with appropriate bodies to develop new guidance, principally to dispel misunderstandings. In fact, the process of encouraging a change in attitudes and behaviours has already begun through changes last year which, for many employers, will have sneaked under the radar : such as the introduction of employer liability for harassment or detrimental treatment by colleagues and personal liability placed on individuals.

“A future addition to the whistleblowing armoury, likely to be in force next year, is a new obligation upon regulators to report whistleblowing allegations. The legislation provides that whistleblowing claims can only be raised outside of the organisation to certain “Prescribed Persons”, such as Commissioners of HM Revenue & Customs, the Food Standards Agency and the Office of Fair Trading. The Government believes they have an important role and should be encouraged to be more pro-active. As a result, it will soon be a legal requirement for Prescribed Persons to report annually upon whistle-blowing allegations received. This will reduce further employer ability to suppress misdemeanours, or worse, criminal activity.”

Read more

Latest News

Read More

A Four-Day Working Week in the Construction Industry?

29 March 2024

Newsletter

Receive the latest HR news and strategic content

Please note, as per the GDPR Legislation, we need to ensure you are ‘Opted In’ to receive updates from ‘theHRDIRECTOR’. We will NEVER sell, rent, share or give away your data to third parties. We only use it to send information about our products and updates within the HR space To see our Privacy Policy – click here

Latest HR Jobs

University of Warwick – WMGSalary: £23,144 to £25,138 per annum

The Open University – People ServicesSalary: £57,696 to £64,914 + up to £8,000 per annum MRP supplement*

Cardiff UniversitySalary: Competitive

University of Oxford – Oxford Department of International DevelopmentSalary: £28,759 to £33,966 (Grade 5)

Read the latest digital issue of theHRDIRECTOR for FREE

Read the latest digital issue of theHRDIRECTOR for FREE