Protect is disappointed that today’s Queen’s Speech, which marks the start of 2021 Parliamentary session, failed to include the much anticipated employment bill or any mention of whistleblowing law reform – which the Government has pledged to review. The employment bill featured in the last Queen’s Speech but no proposals have been brought forward by … Read more
The employment case between Home Secretary Priti Patel and former senior civil servant Sir Philip Rutnam may have concluded with a settlement agreement – but the case has thrown up many questions around whistleblowing culture within Government and reform of the Ministerial Code. The case has been reported to have been settled for £340,000 plus … Read more
Some employers are still demanding their staff go into offices when they don’t need to, putting their staff and others at risk. Alarming research by union, the TUC found one in five people going into their workplace unnecessarily. Worryingly, this is also backed up by what callers to our Advice Line are telling us too. … Read more
The past few weeks have not been pretty for the Third Sector. In January, the lnternational Development Committee published its report, Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries, which found abuse of beneficiaries was rife. The report notes that since the Oxfam sex scandal ‘the Department for International Development, non-governmental organisations, private … Read more
Key building safety proposals from the Hackitt review following the Grenfell Tower tragedy will finally be implemented this year when the Building Safety Bill is made law. But many – Dame Judith Hackitt included – are urging the construction sector to start preparation now for the new measures coming into force by 2023. The public … Read more
The 16 March 2020 will be remembered as a key moment in how Covid-19 affected the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that evening that all of the UK, if possible, should work from home. Effective immediately. For over a quarter of a century, Protect has been providing free legal advice to whistleblowers through … Read more
Concerns over 300 Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) by HS2 railway line construction project has been debated in the House of Lords who say wide scale use of NDAs could be ‘undermining public trust’ in infrastructure projects. NDAs are legal agreements that prevent the disclosure of commercial information by those who are signed up to them, but … Read more
