Does the Public Interest Disclosure Act require an employer to have a whistleblowing policy?
PIDA does not require an employer to have a whistleblowing policy but please note that organisations in certain sectors may, under other obligations, be required to have a whistleblowing policy. However, PIDA does encourage employers to have such a policy. In the absence of an effective policy, workers may have reason to fear reprisal and may not know the employer will deal with the matter properly two triggers for protection for wider disclosures. Additionally, whether an employer has an effective whistleblowing policy is one of several factors that an Employment Tribunal will consider when deciding if a wider disclosure (e.g. to the media, the police or an MP) is reasonable and so protected by the Act.
Related Questions
- Does the Public Interest Disclosure Act say that a worker must raise a concern about possible wrongdoing with their employer in the first instance?
- Does the Public Interest Disclosure Act require an employer to keep a whistleblowers identity secret?
- Does the Public Interest Disclosure Act require an employer to have a whistleblowing policy?
