During the course of their employment, individuals may come across unethical, unlawful and unsafe practices. In such instances, workers are often faced with a host of dilemmas. Do they report the issue? If so, then who do they turn to? What happens if they choose to ignore the issue?
One option that workers have is to “blow the whistle”. This means taking action to report the wrongdoing by reporting it to Human Resources (HR), the compliance department or even third parties such as the authorities or media.
What are some of the potential risks and regards of blowing the whistle?
The rewards
The first advantage of whistleblowing is that the employee is taking a stand against unlawful or unethical activities. By turning a blind eye to unlawful conduct, it could be argued that the employee becomes complicit.
As well as having personal advantages, whistleblowing can also protect other people. For instance, if a company is engaging in unsafe practices, this could put workers in danger collectively. By taking a stand, the whistleblower can protect their coworkers and potentially prevent injuries from occurring.
A whistleblower can also protect the business. It’s possible that company directors and bosses may be unaware of unethical practices that are happening. By alerting the appropriate people, the whistleblower could give company directors a chance to address the issue internally and protect the reputation of the business.
The risks
Unfortunately, whistleblowers are not always thanked for their services. There is a possibility that a whistleblower faces retaliation, such as being harassed, intimidated and even fired for taking a stand.
Whistleblowers in New York have a host of legal protections. Seeking further guidance will provide you with the information required to assert your rights.
