Bosses warned over new law
2 July 1999
From today (Friday, July 2nd) employers risk heavy penalties and media disclosures if they discourage, ignore or suppress staff warnings of malpractice.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act has been described by American campaigners as ‘the most far-reaching whistleblower law in the world.’ Coming into force today, the new Act guarantees workers unlimited compensation if they are victimised or dismissed for speaking out in the public interest. It also contains tough controls on gagging clauses and overrides the law of confidence.
Recent scandals at British Biotech, the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Wickes and the European Commission have all shown the enormous damage that can be caused when organisations don't deal properly with staff whistleblowing. With the introduction of these strong new legal rights, campaigners are confident that more people will now be willing to challenge wrongdoing in the workplace.
“The Act marks a real break from the culture of inertia, secrecy and silence which plagues so many working lives and organisations. Employers who opt for a more open culture have much to gain from this Act,” says Guy Dehn, Director of Public Concern at Work, the independent whistleblowing charity. “People who cheat, corrupt and cover-up have much to fear as the threat of exposure is now real.”