Blackwell Reference Online

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Whistleblowing (or good faith reporting) is a term widely used to describe an act whereby wrongdoing is exposed. There is no agreed, widely accepted definition of whistleblowing. All definitions agree that it involves the reporting of wrongdoing, that wrongdoing is not confined to illegality, and that whistleblowing is not confined to reporting to fellow employees. Disagreement arises concerning the persons involved (wrongdoer, whistleblower, recipient), the circumstances of the disclosure, motives for disclosure, and whether disclosures are both internal and external or external only. Near and Miceli's (1985 : 4) definition is often used: “the disclosure by organizational members (former or current) of illegal, immoral or illegitimate practices under the control of their employers, to persons or organizations that may be able to effect action.” Common law protects the right of organizations to hold proprietary information and does not give workers a general right to disclose information about their employment. This common law prohibition on the disclosure of information by employees is grounded in two principles, specifically the duty of trust and the duty of fidelity. In relation to the disclosure of confidential information this is normally the subject of express terms in the employment contract. The only common law defense in such an action is to prove that the confidential ... log in or subscribe to read full text