Rule of law

Support for and Protection of Whistleblowers

Since 2008 we have been carrying out activities aimed to improve legal protection of whistleblowers, i.e. individuals who, acting in good faith and out of concern for public good, disclose wrongdoing or unethical behavior in their workplace or professional environment, thus putting themselves at the risk of mobbing, loss of employment, or professional marginalization.

We undertake initiatives to improve the status of whistleblowers in criminal proceedings and adequate protection in labor law cases. We monitor court cases involving whistleblowers by taking part in court hearings as social observers (under Article 61 of the Civil Procedure Code or Article 90 of the Criminal Procedure Code) and by presenting our position on the case before it is decided (amicus curiae). We present directions of possible legal changes that may improve safeguards for whistleblowers (e.g. Outline of the law on protection of whistleblowers in professional environment [PDF 880 KB] ).

Currently, we focus on advocacy efforts for implementing legislation ensuring better protection for whistleblowers in Poland and on communication and education campaigns to change public attitudes towards whistleblowers.

We organize debates and meetings to promote the Outline of the law on protection of whistleblowers. We hold regular seminars with the participation of representatives of employer organizations, trade unions and legal professional where we discuss the benefits and threats related to implementing whistleblowing systems in companies, the role of trade unions in protecting whistleblowers and proposed amendments to current legislation.

We are developing a series of educational videos on whistleblowers to demonstrate the importance of signalizing irregularities in workplaces for public and economic interest as well as the implications and cost resulting from the lack of public acceptance and legal protection of such activities.

More: www.sygnalista.pl