The First Whistleblower

Protecting and promoting the rights of whistleblowers and workers

1. What IS a "Whistleblower" ?
2. What should I do BEFORE I make a report/disclosure?
3. HOW show I make a report?
4. WHO should I send my report to?
5. What could happen to me if I DON'T make a report?
6. Could I get a $REWARD$ for making a report?
7. Am I protected from reprisal?
8. What is considered a "reprisal"?
9. What should I do if I believe I have been subjected to reprisals?
10. What rights do I have if I am questioned about a Whistleblower matter?

Collect information, LEGALLY!!!

YOU will need to prove the allegations in your report. It's not what you know, its what you can prove! And your word, is not "proof". You need to collect evidence. Evidence like memos, reports, emails, spreadsheets, data files, tape-recordings, contracts, expense reports, payment receipts, time cards, press releases, files, security videos, etc., etc. Anything that can be used to substantiate your allegations.

But, remember to do it LEGALLY!

Is having access to those reports or files part of your job? Are they public record? Are they "classified" or "confidential"? Are you allowed to take copies home? You need to ask yourself all of these questions while collecting evidence of the corruption or abuse you are about to report.

Is it something you could normally take home to work on? Make a copy and keep it at home. (Someone trying to hide their wrongdoing may search your office/cubical when you are not around so they can destroy it.)

If its something you have access to but aren't allowed to take home, make a copy of it and put it somewhere at work where others aren't likely to look for it. (Put it in an envelope and "drop it" behind a filing cabinet, "misfile it", put it in someone else's filing cabinet, etc.,...)

Is it a computer file? Make a copy and put it on a disk or CD. Label it with a name that no one would think to look on (test-data, source-code backup, old recipes, etc.,). Or, make a copy of the data files and put them on a server you don't normally use under a folder name that is obscure and NOT associated with you. Make sure the files are regularly backed-up, and find out how long the backups are saved. (Some folders/files/emails/logs are saved for days, some for months, some for YEARS!. Know how long it will be saved.)

If you aren't allowed access or don't have the ability to make a copy of something, MAKE A LIST! Make a list of memos/files/reports/emails, including dates, times, titles, a summary of what was in it, details about specific "comments" you read, when you read it, who received copies, who SIGNED it, who keeps it, etc.

Send EMAILS!

If you are a government employee, your emails are "public record". (There are exceptions to this, but, generally its true.) Send emails to people asking questions about a specific incident and ask for an email/written response. Then, send a copy of those emails to yourself at HOME! You can create a "electronic paper trail" by sending an email to a supervisor or coworker about something you have read or seen. Send a daily "status report" to yourself at home. Send yourself a note about what you saw, heard, or about some document you need to refer back to later.