Employee Ethics WHISTLEBLOWING q Whistleblowing The term whistleblowing

Employee & Ethics

WHISTLE-BLOWING

q Whistle-blowing § The term whistle-blowing derives from the practice of English bobbies (polices) , who would blow their whistles when they noticed the commission of a crime. The whistle would alert both law enforcement officers and the general public of danger.

Whistle-Blowing § It is an attempt of an employee or former employee of an organization to disclose what he/she believes to be wrongdoing in or by the organization

Whistle-blowing § Internal: reported to an executive in organization The misconduct may be classified in many ways; for example, a violation of a law, rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to public interest, such as fraud, health/safety violations, and corruption. § External: reported to external public interest groups, media, or enforcement agencies.

Whistle-blowing § Personal: harm reportedly done only to the whistle-blower § Impersonal: harm observed as done to another

Whistle-blowing Sample I: § Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, head of research at Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company from 19891993, testified that this company knew and controlled nicotine levels in its products. § He revealed that executives of the companies knew that cigarettes were addictive and approved the addition of carcinogenic ingredients to the cigarettes.

Whistle-blowing Sample I: § His testimony, along with that of others, helped government initially win substantial lawsuit against this company. Wigand's story was the basis for the 1999 movie The Insider. http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Jeffrey_Wigand

Whistle-blowing Sample II: § Karen Silkwood, the example of one person’s bold attempt to share inside information. exhaust § She was killed in November 12, 1974, at 28 years of age while driving to meet the reporter from New York Times with documentation about wrong doing attempt of Kerr-Mc. Gee plutonium company.