Is the revelation about Government splits over the role Huawei should play in the rollout of 5G technology within the secretive National Security Council (NSC), an act of reckless leaking, or brave whistleblowing? For many inside and outside of Government, this was a dangerous and corrosive leak. This was the first time the press has … Read more
The Government has brought forward proposals to tackle NDA (non-disclosure agreements) in harassment and discrimination cases following the #MeToo movement. Our view is these proposals will make just a small dent in improving common practices in concluding settlement agreements. The proposals address only a small part of the wider problem of sexual harassment in the … Read more
Julian Assange is back in the limelight, after seven years holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy. Most media and public attention has been focused on the man, while the war atrocities that Wikileaks revealed have not been addressed. Is Assange a hero? A criminal? Someone to be proud of and to defend, or someone who … Read more
Protect is calling on the government to adopt new EU whistleblowing legislation, or risk UK whistleblowers being left behind with out-of-date legislation. As the EU’s Whistleblowing legislation passes its final hurdle in the EU Parliament today (April 16), Protect, wants the same gold standard protections introduced in the UK. We want the government to keep its … Read more
Please note, our advice line will be closed from midday on Wednesday April 3 until Friday April 5 as we move offices. Moving day is 4 April to new sustainable offices at The Green House, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9DA. Protect’s new home is a shared space for charities and not-for-profit organisations in London. … Read more
Zelda Perkins, former assistant to Harvey Weinstein, discussed non-disclosure agreements in a conversation with equality barrister Karon Monaghan QC at UCL recently. Protect adviser Dugald Johnson went along to hear the discussion. Zelda began by recounting how, after persistent sexual harassment, she and a colleague resigned from Miramax, Weinstein’s film company. She described that the … Read more
Protect welcomes the Kark Review recommendations to give more teeth to the Fit and Proper Persons Test (FPPT) – which is in place to ensure senior staff responsible for quality and safety of care are fit for their roles. Led by Tom Kark QC, the review, commissioned by the government, looks at how effective the … Read more
Whistleblowers exposing illegal conduct or abuses of law in their workplace will soon have nothing to fear when revealing the truth, thanks to a new EU Directive to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. The EU law, once implemented, will see protection for whistleblowers in the public and private sector, including civil servants, the self-employed, shareholders and … Read more
In response to the #Metoo movement and scandals like the Presidents Club the government are consulting on limiting the use of confidentiality clauses – also known as non-disclosure agreements in sexual and racial harassment cases. The Government’s announcement to Parliament on Monday (March 4) made it clear that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) have their legitimate … Read more
Five well-known European whistleblowers wrote directly to EU Vice President Frans Timmerman and Commissioner Věra Jourová calling on them to ensure a new law to protect whistleblowers across all 28 Member States removes any doubt that whistleblowers are protected for going directly to the competent authorities. The whistleblowers – Antoine Deltour (multinational tax avoidance schemes … Read more
The Advice Line will be closed for the Christmas holidays from 1pm on 24 December until 9.30am on 5 January. Please call when our lines reopen, or leave a webform and one of our advisers will get back to you in the New Year. Wishing you a lovely festive break and a happy new year!
