Whistleblower
Categories: Regulations, Company Management
A whistleblower can be a dastardly dude or a worldwide hero, depending on whom you consult. A whistleblower is someone who has insider knowledge of illegal practices inside of an organization, be it a government or company, that they leak (report). While whistleblowers are most often employees, they can also be more tertiary folk to an organization, like a client or supplier.
Ok, back to preschool, when little George was playing with the cool truck and you just couldn't wait your turn. Your self-control left the building and you swooped in and stole it. You recall what happened next. Little Eric, the goody two shoes, ran directly to the teacher to report your wrongdoings in the most dramatic fashion. Snitch. Future NFL referee.
Well, a whistleblower is more or less the grown-up version of lil' Eric the snitch. Whistleblowers are those individuals who come forward with information regarding illegal or immoral acts committed by an organization. Oh, and in this case, snitches do not, in fact, get stitches.
In fact, there are 22 laws in place under OSHA's (Occupational Health and Safety Administration) Whistleblower Protection Program that protect these individuals from "discrimination and retaliation" (United States Department of Labor Occupational Health and Safety Administration).