With a significant majority (80%) of the complaints coming from current employees, 'bullying, discrimination and/or harassment' was the top whistleblowing complaint, according to the majority (72%) of respondents.
This was followed by 'breach of internal policies' (62%) and 'workplace health and safety issues' (55%). One-third (33%) of the business leaders said they have received complaints about environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
It’s clear that, as visibility for the whistleblowing process grows, employees are feeling more and more empowered to do so themselves. Yet, some state that even with this positive trend growing, there are still thousands of cases that won’t see the light of day.
Tom Spiggle, an Employment Lawyer based in Virginia, recently told the BBC that he doesn’t see this landmark ruling or the increase in reported cases as a ‘sea change’. “It certainly will make a difference to some workers, but it probably won’t represent a sea change.”
Cynthia Estlund, a Professor of law at the New York University School of Law, agrees, stating: “The NLRB decision will only remove one source of inhibition. In other words, while laid off workers no longer have to agree not to disparage their former company in order to receive severance, the new decision may not be enough to change the existing precedent that publicly speaking out against a former employer is taboo.”
So, in short, whilst we’re seeing gradual progress in the proliferation of whistleblowing, we have a long way to go before the process is as effective as it should be.
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