The law provides special protection for workers who make what are known as “public interest disclosures”. This is colloquially referred to as “whistle-blowing”. Officially they are qualifying disclosures made in accordance with current public interest disclosure legislation. They only apply when you report something which is in the public interest.
You must reasonably believe it to be so because it concerns:-
• A criminal offence.
• A miscarriage of justice.
• An act creating risk to health and safety.
• An act causing damage to the environment.
• A breach of another legal obligation we may have.
• Our concealment of any of the above.
We do not expect you to provide definitive proof of such wrongdoing. However, you must have a reasonable belief that it is, has been or is likely to take place. Providing you follow the above procedure, we will investigate urgently. We do not expect you to undertake this aspect yourself. Our guiding principles are always at the forefront of any investigation we mount.
It’s possible our investigation may not satisfy every concern you have. Where the matter is a protected disclosure you may be able to refer it to a statutory agency. This only applies where you refer something you reasonably believe is in the public interest, as defined above. Statutory agencies include HM Revenues and Customs, Office of Fair Trading, Health and Safety Executive and Environment Agency.
