keeping pace: whistleblowing and the response of government, mark worth, international whistleblower...
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Presentation by Mark Worth at the OECD Whistleblower Protection Seminar on 17th June 2014. More information available at www.oecd.org/gov/ethics/whistleblower-protection-seminar-june-2014.htmTRANSCRIPT
Keeping Pace: Whistleblowing and the Response of Government Mark Worth Project Manager International Whistleblower Project
Re-visiting Whistleblower Protection OECD, Paris, 17 June 2014
Post hoc ergo propter hoc US: Whistleblower Protection Act, 1989 (“Challenger Law”)
UK: Public Interest Disclosure Act, 1998
South Africa: Protected Disclosures Act, 2000
Rep. of Korea: Protection of Public Interest WBers Act, 2011
France: public health / environment WBer law, 2013
India: Whistle Blowers Protection Act, 2014
Ireland: Protected Disclosures Bill, 20??
Why?
Cultural change – or a change in political reality?
Intention => implementation
Seize the opportunities
Whistleblower Protection Rules in G20 Countries:
The Next Action Plan
G20 countries: public sector laws
G20 countries: private sector laws
G20 Scorecard Most WBer laws for government and corporate employees lack: adequate internal and external disclosure channels opportunities for anonymous reporting agency to investigate disclosures and complaints transparent / accountable enforcement of laws
Plus, most WBer laws for corporate employees lack: confidentiality guarantee penalties for retaliators
Most WBer laws for government and corporate employees include: protections from a wide range of retaliation broad definition of who is a “whistleblower” options to report internally or to government regulators “reasonable belief” threshold
Redemption Reinstatements, protections, compensation
South Africa: “Mrs. M”, 2011 / Kobus Roos, 2014
Nigeria: Laurence do Rego, 2014
Ireland: Louise Bayliss, 2012
Malaysia: company finance staffer, 2014
Rep. of Korea: waste disposal worker
Redemption Reinstatements, protections, compensation
Japan: Masaharu Hamada, 2012
BiH: 2 WBers granted protection, 2014
Slovenia: 5 WBers granted protection, 2010-12
UK: o Jon Fayle, 2013 o Martin Morton, 2011 o Margaret Haywood, 2009 o Robert Watson, 2008
Redemption Reinstatements, protections, compensation
US: Franz Gayl, 2011 OSHA cases:
o injured railroad worker, 2014 o waste vehicle safety, 2014 o airplane emergency landing, 2013 o truck driving duration, 2013 o Sarbanes-Oxley, 2013 o unsafe drinking water, 2012 o lead overexposure, 2012
How? • Media exposure –> journalists as de facto supporters
• Changes in public opinion / perceptions
• Public support –> political cover to politicians
• Gateway: it only takes one – have to go through it
• Governments are adapting / training themselves
Keeping Pace • Strategy for change: bottom-up / top-down
• Learning / Telling / Doing
There has been a time
in the evolution of everything when it didn't work.
Mark Worth [email protected] (+49) 176 630 94993 (Berlin)