Whistleblowing (Part 1): A whistlestop tour of the law
Welcome to The Work Couch, the podcast series where we explore how your business can navigate today's tricky people challenges and respond to key developments in the ever-evolving world of employment law.
Whistleblowing commonly features in today's top news stories, recent examples including the Post Office and Horizon dispute, and the harrowing Lucy Letby case. It's also a notoriously complex, and sometimes misunderstood, area of employment law, which can present challenges for line managers, HR teams and business leaders.
In part 1 of our mini-series on whistleblowing, Ellie Gelder is joined by consultant employment lawyer Victoria Othen to take us on a whistlestop tour of the law and explain:
- How whistleblowing can arise in the work context;
- The shift in how whistleblowing at work is perceived;
- How whistleblowers are protected at work;
- The legal elements required to make a "protected disclosure";
- How "in the public interest" is defined; and
- Potential remedies in the event of a successful employment tribunal claim and other commercial implications.
* Please note these podcasts will not run on Internet Explorer
All information is correct at the time of recording.
The Work Couch is not a substitute for legal advice.
References
- Article by Harvard Business Review "Throw out your assumptions about whistleblowing" (14 January 2020)
- Government guidance for employers on whistleblowing and Code of Practice (March 2015)
- Acas guidance on whistleblowing at work (June 2023)
- Government review of the whistleblowing framework: terms of reference (26 October 2023)