New Protection for Whistleblowers starts on 2nd July

United Kingdom

The remaining provisions of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 will come into force on Friday 2nd July, subject to Parliamentary approval.

This means that from 2nd July employees who "blow the whistle" about wrongdoing at work - and suffer a detriment as a result by their employers - will be protected.

Employees will be protected if they make a disclosure about criminal offences, breaches of legal obligation, miscarriages of justice, health and safety dangers, environmental risks or any "cover ups" relating to these matters. Disclosure must be in good faith and to a "prescribed" person as set out in the new Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 1999.

If an employee is dismissed for making a "protected" disclosure it will be an automatic unfair dismissal and there will be no limit to the compensation available.

For further information, please contact Anthony Fincham, Partner, of Cameron McKenna's Employment group on:

DDI: 0171 367 2783 Fax: 0171 367 2000 E-mail: [email protected]