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Landmark decision opens the door for charity trustees to be protected as whistleblowers in the UK

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In a landmark decision handed down today (Oct 21 2024) by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT), the door has been opened for UK charity trustees to receive protection from adverse treatment for making whistleblowing disclosures to a charity or to another relevant party.  Until now, protection had not been available, due to the particular circumstances in which trustees work, often unpaid and without a contract.

Legal challenge to give charity trustees vital whistleblowing legal protections

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Protect, the UK’s whistleblowing charity, is intervening in an important case before the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) which will consider whether charity trustees should have whistleblowing rights. There are nearly a million charity trustees in the UK. They are responsible for the proper governance of charities and have a duty to report wrongdoing when they see it. The case before the EAT will consider whether trustees can claim the protection of whistleblowing law if they suffer as a result of speaking up about wrongdoing.