In a world where information and secrets are invaluable, whistleblowers play an important role. whistleblowers play a heroic role in exposing wrongdoing and misconduct in organizations and companies. The Whistleblower Protection Act, also known as the Whistleblower Protection Act, has attracted immense attention in recent years and marks a significant step towards a society that is more transparent and fairer.
Overview
The Whistleblower Protection Act, which has already come into force in many countries, is crucial as it gives whistleblowers the confidence that they are protected from any retaliation. This certainty encourages people to disclose wrongdoing and misconduct in organizations and companies, thus helping to promote accountability.
Amendment of the law
On July 2, 2023, a groundbreaking amendment to the Whistleblower Protection Act came into force. According to this update, all employers with 50 to 249 employees are obliged to set up internal reporting channels by December 17, 2023 at the latest. Companies with 250 or more employees had to have already introduced secure whistleblower systems by July 2, 2023. These reporting channels provide whistleblowers with a safe place to share their information and ensure that this information is treated appropriately and confidentially. In addition, employers under private law with 50 to 249 employees have the opportunity to join forces and jointly operate an internal reporting office. This cooperation not only promotes efficiency, but also collective accountability.
Together against grievances
However, the Whistleblower Protection Act does not only apply to employees, but also to other groups who have a professional relationship with the reported company. This includes suppliers, for example. This inclusive definition contributes significantly to the comprehensive detection of wrongdoing and emphasizes the essential role of whistleblowers in our society. It is important to note that failure to set up a whistleblowing office despite the corresponding obligation is considered an administrative offense. Companies that fail to comply with this obligation can be fined up to 20,000 euros.
Conclusion
It is therefore not just an option, but rather mandatory for a large number of SMEs and municipalities to set up a digital whistleblowing system.
To ensure that employees can access the digital reporting channel as easily and barrier-free as possible, it makes sense to integrate the whistleblower protection system into existing HR tools such as digital time tracking. For example, users can access the digital reporting channel in ZMI directly via the employee portal and the mobile app. The integrated solution was created together with our partner whistle.law and fully complies with the requirements of the EU Whistleblower Directive and reliably supports companies in processing incoming cases.
