Thursday, 27 December 2012

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A WhistleBlower Hotline Offers Many Advantages

By Audra Olson


Business and Governmental entities have a WhistleBlower hotline which enables people who work within these entities and the public to report fraudulent activities that occur in these organizations. In the United States, there are laws that protect people who report such activities from retaliation from their workmates or from people who are impacted or accused of fraud. The term originates from the act of blowing the whistle to indicate foul play or illegal activity in sports.

This channel is used not only to investigate alleged legal violations but they are there to protect the rights of individuals that have reported them, being confidentiality. There are two types of informers; those that are internal informers and those who inform externally. In the case of a corporation for example, an internal informer would be the employee that informs on activities within the organization.

This Act is a protection for informers so that their identities are kept confidential in every possible way. Other means of informer protection had been included in the Act. Companies and the Government have specific channels of communication purely for people who wish to inform a figure of authority of illegal activity that another person or people have committed.

Many feel that informers have self-serving motives when blowing the whistle on someone else because it is viewed negatively. Another description of an informer would be a "snitch", someone who wants some fame and glory in pointing the finger at someone else. The Whistle Blowing Act that is in place is to protect an informer from retaliation when something like that should occur.

The confidentiality of the informer is assured because serious problems could arise from being an informer. Many people who have witnessed gross violation of procedures and fraudulent activities fear retaliation. Things such as demotion, garnishments on remuneration, termination of employment or even harsh treatment from the impacted parties could the result of retaliation.

There are a couple of exceptions to that rule. If the informer reports activities that are harmful to the public in terms of their safety, welfare and health and it is necessary to divulge the identity of the informer to counteract the information then his or her identity could be divulged. The identity of an informer could be divulged during the course of the investigation which will most likely happen. In serious cases where serious retaliation could occur, further steps are taken to protect the informant as much as possible.

If someone informs on an illegal incident that was witnessed, they could face more serious consequences. Should the perpetrator find out whom the informer was, the informer could be in serious danger. Not only are illegal acts reported on but the identity of an informer is protected if the line of communication is utilized.

That is why a WhistleBlower hotline is so necessary so that a person that witnesses or suspects of misconduct within a corporation, they can report it without fear of reprisal. Their identities are kept protected and confidential so that the impacted parties will never know who reported them. With rising levels of crime, people are encouraged to make use of these channels to provide much needed assistance to law enforcers and within corporations.




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