Whistleblowing is an act of revealing information about something considered to be wrong that would not otherwise come to light and can create public outrage and significant changes in policy. In general, whistleblowing is an act of conscience or a demonstration of loyalty to the trust put in employees or contractors by their employers. It is when an employee exposes wrongdoing at an organization that they are employed by, even if discovered externally by the customer, public, and government agencies.

This is an act that should be praised and rewarded, but in many cases, whistle-blowers become victims of negative consequences and are being victimized by their employers. If you were dismissed, harassed, or demoted from your job because you’ve been blowing the whistle, you have the right to sue for wrongful termination and obtain compensation for damages. It is important to consult an employment lawyer in Lambertville about your situation because it is a complicated legal process with long-term consequences.

Why Do Whistleblowers Need Protection?

It can be a highly emotional act for someone to blow the whistle on wrongdoing in an organization, especially if it is illegal. There are many reasons why whistleblowing is important.

Whistleblowing acts as a safeguard against fraud and abuse. In workplace settings, it serves as a moral check on potential fraud or criminal behavior by supervisors and coworkers. Many employees might hesitate to report suspected fraud or misuse of company assets if they fear losing their job or being subjected to other negative consequences. This is especially true for whistleblowing against the senior leadership of a company, who are oftentimes the ones responsible for large sums of money and could have connections to powerful people.

However, it is important to encourage employees to speak out when they see wrongdoing. By exposing illegal activities that would otherwise go unpunished, a whistleblower helps ensure that justice will be served and that crimes will not be able to continue undetected. The knowledge and experience that whistleblower gains in coming forward may help them achieve their career goals.

However, if a company retaliates against a whistleblower by firing them, demoting them, or making other negative consequences to their job, they are no longer acting in good faith. They are simply trying to silence the whistleblower and prevent them from exposing the information that they have found.