Temat: New report: Is the law protecting whistleblowers?

New report: Is the law protecting whistleblowers?

Public Concern at Work today publishes its extensive research into employment tribunal judgments handed down between 2011 and 2013 which involve a whistleblowing claim. During this time whistleblowing has remained high on the public agenda and many legal and regulatory reforms have taken place. On this the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta and its much celebrated promise: ‘To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice,’ we ask whether the law is doing whistleblowers justice?

Main findings
• Legal representation: The majority of claimants (53%) were not represented by a lawyer.
• Costs awards: There was a significant rise in the quantity of costs ordered against parties and claimants are 4 times more likely to have costs awarded against them than respondents.
• Fees: 20% drop in PIDA claims since the introduction of employment tribunal fees.
• Workers: GPs, foster carers, non-executive directors, volunteers, student doctors and nurses were all denied protection under the law.
• Interim relief: Only 7% of whistleblowers were successful at interim relief hearings.
• Damages: £7.3 million was awarded in whistleblowing claims.

See here for the full report: http://www.pcaw.org.uk/files/PIDA%20REPORT%20FINAL.pdf...