The Public Interest Disclosure Act [1] became law in July 1998 and will come into force in January 1999. It is designed to protect so-called "whistleblowers": employees who identify a serious wrong being carried out by their employers and who speak up publicly about it. The issue has gained growing prominence in the UK during the 1990s in the light of concerns to promote corporate responsibility. Some researchers see whistleblowing as the product of an increasingly information-oriented economy, combined with a growing tendency for employers to demand total loyalty, the result being that the possibility of "blowing the whistle" has risen while the freedom to do so has been curtailed.[1] http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/19980023.htm
New legislation came into force in the UK in July 1998, which aims to protect those employees who expose the wrongdoings of their employers
The Public Interest Disclosure Act became law in July 1998 and will come into force in January 1999. It is designed to protect so-called "whistleblowers": employees who identify a serious wrong being carried out by their employers and who speak up publicly about it. The issue has gained growing prominence in the UK during the 1990s in the light of concerns to promote corporate responsibility. Some researchers see whistleblowing as the product of an increasingly information-oriented economy, combined with a growing tendency for employers to demand total loyalty, the result being that the possibility of "blowing the whistle" has risen while the freedom to do so has been curtailed.
The legislation - the "Whistleblowers' Charter" - won support from the main political parties and social partners. It protects workers who disclose information which they "reasonably" believe to expose such actions as financial malpractice, dangers to health and safety or miscarriages of justice. If whistleblowers are penalised by their employers they will be able to claim compensation at an industrial tribunal (tribunals handle all claims for unfair dismissal as well as other matters, and their case load has grown rapidly during the 1990s). There will be no limit on the size of the financial award which can be made - which is in line with current proposals in the Fairness at work white paper to remove current limits on awards for unfair dismissal (UK9806129F).
"Gagging" clauses in employment contracts are void if they run counter to the Act. The legislation covers most employees, including those in the public sector, though the armed forces, police and security services are not covered.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1998), Whistleblowers' Charter becomes law, article.
