Research

Three out of four UK whistleblowers says claims are ignored

Topics: 
UK, Research, Whistleblowers
Rating: 
0

Rajeev Syal – May 14, 2013

Three out of four whistleblowers who raise concerns of wrongdoing at work with their managers have their claims ignored, an analysis of cases has found.

Files of 1,000 workers who approached a whistleblowing helpline for advice also showed that 15% were eventually sacked from their jobs while many others were bullied, ostracised or victimised.

UK report captures the experiences of 1,000 whistleblowers

Topics: 
UK, Research
Rating: 
4
Whistleblowing: The Inside Story

Public Concern At Work – May 20, 2013

The UK whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work has published a report Whistleblowing: the Inside Story with the University of Greenwich, which analyses the experiences of 1,000 whistleblowers.

The report follows the whistleblower’s journey, starting with the type of concern they have, the reactions they expect and experience from colleagues and managers, through to when they call for advice. This journey is often fraught with threats, fears and contradictions, and can be incredibly stressful for the individual involved.

UK whistleblowing bankers ‘ignored’ and ‘victimised’ by employers

Topics: 
UK, Research, Financial industry, Whistleblowers
Rating: 
4
Silence In The City

Public Concern at Work – May 20, 2013

More than three quarters (77%) of whistleblowers from the financial services industry are ignored when they first raise concerns, according to research conducted by whistleblowing charity Public Concern at Work with support from law firm Slater & Gordon.

The research demonstrates a lack of trust in employers and the internal structures that are supposed to be in place to protect whistleblowers, with almost one in five whistleblowers from the sector (18%) going straight to external regulators.

New report shows how to pass whistleblowing laws in Canada

Topics: 
Alberta, Legislation, Research, FAIR
Rating: 
5

A new report by FAIR's executive director David Hutton explains how other countries have succeeded in passing effective whistleblowing laws: something not yet accomplished here.

"Writing this report gave me the chance to take a hard look at other jurisdictions and to test my impressions of how they were able to secure strong legislation" says Hutton. "What I learned from them can provide a template for our future efforts in Canada."

Shooting The Messenger: The Need For Efffective Whistleblower Protection In Alberta

Topics: 
Alberta, Legislation, Research, FAIR
Rating: 
5

In late 2012, Alison Redford’s Progressive Conservative government passed the Public Interest Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) Act. Presented as making good on a longstanding promise, the government argued this legislation offered meaningful safeguards to Alberta whistleblowers.

Unfortunately, this claim does not stand up to scrutiny. The Alberta law does not protect those who blow the whistle on incompetence or corruption, nor does it ensure that such allegations will be properly investigated.

Three-quarters of UK whistleblowers' claims of wrongdoing ignored

Topics: 
UK, Research
Rating: 
0

Rajeev Syal – May 14, 2013

Three out of four whistleblowers who raise concerns of wrongdoing at work with their managers have their claims ignored, an analysis of cases has found. Files of 1,000 workers who approached a whistleblowing helpline for advice also showed that 15% were eventually sacked from their jobs while many others were bullied, ostracised or victimised.

Cathy James, chief executive of the charity Public Concern at Work which runs the helpline, said that the findings show that the legislation meant to protect whistleblowing in Britain needs to be reviewed.

Provincial Legislation: An Analysis

Topics: 
Legislation, Research
Rating: 
0

FAIR is in the final stages of an in-depth analysis of Canada's provincial whistleblower legislation, examining the laws that currently exist in six provinces. This study examines how well these laws are written (with reference to best practices) and how effective they have been in practice (with reference to the results achieved).

Our draft report is currently being prepared for release and will be published on this web page.

Myths and Realities of Whistleblowing

Topics: 
Whistleblowers, Research
Rating: 
4
Margaret Heffernan

Margaret Heffernan – March 5, 2013

The predominant myth surrounding whistleblowers is that they're cranks, madmen (and women) all with a grudge and mildly unstable. Movies like The Insider and The Informant reinforce the stereotype and it's fantastically comfortable for all of us to pillory these outsiders because as long as they're crazy, we are sane in our silence.

I've interviewed dozens, if not hundreds of whistleblowers and the truth is diametrically opposed to the myth. For the most part, these are deeply loyal employees who don't have a grudge - they have a passion, for their organization and the causes that it serves.

Whistleblowing best practice principles: Australia

Topics: 
Research, Australia
Rating: 
0

The following 13 principles outline the essential features of effective public interest disclosure legislation. The principles are framed to apply to public sector agencies because of the research focus of the Whistling While They Work project.

The principles can nevertheless apply, with some modification, to the private sector and to non-government agencies.

Whistleblowers: gagged by those in power, admired by the public

Topics: 
Legislation, Research, Public opinion
Rating: 
2

Despite facing often draconian measures, whistleblowers are increasingly winning public support, reveals a new survey

Suelette Dreyfus – October 19, 2012

Whistleblowing is relevant in the UK now more than ever, as the recent stream of high profile cover-ups and the relentless clamp downs on truth tellers has shown.

The Hillsborough Inquiry, the string of serious problems in the NHS and related health agencies, the recently revealed Ministry of Defence internal document gagging whistleblowers from revealing wrongdoing to their own MPs. The list of examples goes on and on. They illustrate exactly why we need whistleblowers in society in the first place.

Pages

Subscribe to Research