Studies show that people who whistleblow are often driven by their own sense of integrity, and genuinely want to protect the public. Despite the federal statutes that provide monetary rewards for those who whistleblow, only few are aware of this fact and are motivated by these reward programs when they decide to speak out. Most people are concerned about unsafe and unlawful practices at work because they are not willing to partake in conduct that they suspect is wrong, even when it may have a negative impact on the future of their career.
As a whistleblower lawyer from Eric Siegel Law explains, most employees speak out because they believe they have an obligation ethnically to do so. These people act with professional and personal risks in order to bring wrongdoing into the light so that the offenders can be held responsible. Whistleblowers may face retaliation from employers even if the acts are unlawful, further becoming the victim in a situation they were just trying to make right. Employers may demote, terminate, or unfairly discipline a worker that they think has whistle blown on the company.
Whistleblowing is meant for reporting regulatory breaches, criminal offenses, health and safety breaches, or cover-ups. A whistleblower is protected by law if they are reporting cases of wrongdoings such as these. Even if you think too much time has gone by to report a concern, be assured knowing that you can come forward at any time you want to, whether it is an incident that is happening right now, occurred in the past, or is something you anticipate may unfold soon. Whistleblowing is not an outlet for false reports or grievances. If you have a complaint about your coworker, manager, third party, workload, or other issue, you may need to raise the concern with the human resources department instead. Whistleblowing law doesn’t entail personal grievances, that is, unless the situation affects the interests of the public.
Employers may view whistleblowers as workers who are just unhappy and are holding a grudge against the company, driven by the desire to receive awards for reporting wrongdoing. However, studies show that this perception is not correct, and that whistleblowers are usually conscientious people who are acting on behalf of the general public, without an intention to get financial reward. Despite whistleblowers not being primarily driven by incentive programs, these rewards serve an important purpose by bringing attention to the need for workers to act for the betterment of the public. Whistleblowers may not always want a big payout for protecting the public, but they deserve to receive it for their unrelenting courage and prominent sense of integrity.
Remember that as a whistleblower, you can blow the whistle if you suspect any kind of unethical or wrong behavior is being committed by your employer. And even though this isn’t the easiest thing to do, don’t forget that the law safeguards you from adverse treatment and reprisal. Reports of employer misconduct are handled by authorities with sensitivity and confidentiality for the whistleblower.