Whistleblower Protection

As an HR professional, it is essential to understand the concept of whistleblower protection and its significance in the workplace. Employees who report illegal or unethical behavior are known as whistleblowers, and they need to be protected from retaliation by their employers.

Let's take a deeper dive and look at definitions and key terms related to whistleblower protection to help HR professionals navigate this complex issue.

What Is It?

Whistleblower protection refers to the laws and policies that protect employees who report illegal or unethical activities from retaliation by their employers. Why is important? Well, its because these laws are in place to encourage employees to report wrongdoing without fear of losing their job or suffering other negative consequences.

Key Terms

Whistleblower

A whistleblower is an employee who reports illegal or unethical activities that are occurring within their organization. Whistleblowers may report a variety of issues. We're talking about fraud, safety violations, discrimination, harassment, and more.

Retaliation

Retaliation refers to any negative action taken against an employee who has reported illegal or unethical activities. Retaliation can take many forms, including termination, demotion, harassment, or other adverse actions.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, understanding whistleblower protection is crucial for you as an HR professional. Why? It helps you ensure a safe and ethical workplace. Employers must have policies and procedures in place to protect whistleblowers and prevent retaliation.

Before signing off, we hope that this glossary provides you with a good starting point to familiarize yourselves with key terms related to whistleblower protection.