Whistleblowing

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Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing

You may have become aware of something at work which you consider should be brought to the attention of the authorities or to the wider public. However, you have duties of loyalty and confidentiality to your employer and breach of these duties could lead to dismissal without compensation and possibly even legal action against you. The law gives you protection but only if you go about things in the right way.

To be protected as a whistleblower you need to make a ‘qualifying’ disclosure about your employer’s malpractice.  A qualifying disclosure could be about:

  • a criminal offence that has been committed or is likely to be committed
  • breach of a legal obligation
  • a miscarriage of justice
  • a danger to health and safety
  • a danger to the environment

The geographical location of the wrongdoing (i.e. whether inside or outside the UK) is irrelevant.

There are a number of ways in which you may make a protected disclosure:

  • you may make it to your employer
  • you may make it to a legal adviser
  • you may make it to an organisation prescribed for that purpose (normally a regulator or professional body).

You can make the disclosure to someone other than the above and still be protected but only if:

  • you make it in good faith
  • you reasonably believe the information to be substantially true
  • you do not make the disclosure for the purpose of personal gain
  • one of a number of stringent conditions is satisfied
  • in all the circumstances it is reasonable to make the disclosure.

Normally this option will only be open if you have reason to believe that you will be subject to some detriment if you make the disclosure to your employer or that the disclosure will be concealed or not acted on. Even then you must carefully choose the person to whom you make the disclosure and justify your actions.

If you are dismissed for making a protected disclosure you are able to bring an unfair dismissal claim even if you have not been employed with the company for a year. An unfair dismissal claim must be brought within 3 months of the last day of employment.  If you are not dismissed but suffer some detriment for making the disclosure, you can bring a claim to the employment tribunal for compensation.

Compensation

If you bring a whistleblowing claim and it is successful you may be awarded compensation in an employment tribunal. This compensation is partly calculated in the same way as a redundancy payment but there will be additional compensation for loss of earnings and benefits. This is not limited like compensation in other unfair dismissal claims. You may also receive an award for injury to feelings (which is common in discrimination cases).

If you not dismissed, but some detriment is imposed on you, for example you are demoted, you are entitled to compensation for the financial loss this causes you.  You may also receive an award for injury to feelings.

Our solicitors can advise you on all aspects of grievance and whistleblowing procedure.

Meet the Employment team
Ray Crudgington
Managing Partner
Managing Partner
greenwich
02083054224
ray.crudgington@grantsaw.co.uk
Maria Lati
Maria Lati
Partner
Partner and Head of Residential Property
blackheath
02083054229
maria.lati@grantsaw.co.uk
Mike Clary
Family
Partner and Head of Family
greenwich
02083054237
mike.clary@grantsaw.co.uk
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Partner
Partner and Head of Private Client
blackheath
02083053536
kalpa.prajapati@grantsaw.co.uk
Mario Savvides
Commercial Property
Partner and Head of Commercial Property
greenwich
02083053531
mario.savvides@grantsaw.co.uk
Sarah-Kate Jackson
Litigation
Partner and Head of Litigation
greenwich
02083054236
sarah-kate.jackson@grantsaw.co.uk
Adina-Leigh Collins
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053556
adina-leigh.collins@grantsaw.co.uk
Aimal Gram
Commercial Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053524
aimal.gram@grantsaw.co.uk
Aisha Mohammed
Aisha Mohammed
Residential Property
Professional Support Lawyer
greenwich
02083054228
aisha.mohammed@grantsaw.co.uk
An Le Tran
Commercial Property
Professional Support Solicitor
greenwich
02083054226
anle.tran@grantsaw.co.uk
Ana-Maria Badeanu
Ana-Maria Badeanu
Corporate and Commercial
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053539
ana-maria.badeanu@grantsaw.co.uk
Angela Shaw
Angela Shaw
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054234
angela.shaw@grantsaw.co.uk
Angus Young
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054225
angus.young@grantsaw.co.uk
Atifha Aftab
Atifha Aftab
Family
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054238
atifha.aftab@grantsaw.co.uk
Bimal Kotecha
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053523
bimal.kotecha@grantsaw.co.uk
Charlotte Warren
Charlotte Warren
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054231
charlotte.warren@grantsaw.co.uk
Claire Mac Mahon
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053537
claire.macmahon@grantsaw.co.uk
Deborah Taite
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083053542
deborah.taite@grantsaw.co.uk
Emily Pearce
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053526
emily.pearce@grantsaw.co.uk
Georgia Beales
Litigation
Paralegal
greenwich
02083054206
georgia.beales@grantsaw.co.uk
Jeremy Brooks
Jeremy Brooks
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083053534
jeremy.brooks@grantsaw.co.uk
Joanna Godden
Notary Public
Notary
greenwich
02083083627
joanna.godden@grantsaw.co.uk
Lauren Smith
Employment
Paralegal
greenwich
02083053543
lauren.smith@grantsaw.co.uk
Mandeep Clair
Family
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054235
mandeep.clair@grantsaw.co.uk
Michael Pope
Corporate and Commercial
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053540
michael.pope@grantsaw.co.uk
Michelle Pinnington
Michelle Pinnington
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054216
michelle.pinnington@grantsaw.co.uk
Noella Gooden
Noella Gooden
Employment
Solicitor (Australian qualified)
greenwich
02083053543
noella.gooden@grantsaw.co.uk
Raj Waghela
Raj Waghela
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053529
raj.waghela@grantsaw.co.uk
Randeep Thethy
Randeep Thethy
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054209
randeep.thethy@grantsaw.co.uk
Sarah Hogan
Sarah Hogan
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054214
sarah.hogan@grantsaw.co.uk
Simona Morina
Simona Morina
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053521
simona.morina@grantsaw.co.uk
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Simone Gavioli
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053548
simone.gavioli@grantsaw.co.uk
Susan Collins
Commercial Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054200
susan.collins@grantsaw.co.uk
Tatiana Zenina
Tatiana Zenina
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054239
tatiana.zenina@grantsaw.co.uk
Trisha Djemal
Trisha Djemal
Residential Property
Consultant Solicitor
blackheath
02083053546
trisha.djemal@grantsaw.co.uk
Tyrone Grant
Residential Property
Head of Leasehold Enfranchisement
blackheath
02083053522
tyrone.grant@grantsaw.co.uk
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greenwich
02083054233
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Michael Tobin
Support Staff
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greenwich
02083053550
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greenwich
02083054222
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Support Staff
Customer Services
greenwich
02083054221
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