Whistleblowing is where a worker discloses an employers, or another third party’s, wrongdoing. The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (“PIDA”) provides protection for whistleblowers against victimisation or dismissal. A qualifying disclosure under PIDA means any disclosure of information which, in the reasonable belief of the worker making the disclosure, is made in the public interest and tends to show one or more of the types of wrongdoing or failure:
- that a criminal offence has been committed, is being committed or is likely to be committed
- that a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation to which he is subject
- that a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur
- that the health or safety of any individual has been, is being or is likely to be endangered
- that the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged
- that information tending to show any matter falling within any one of the preceding paragraphs has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed