If you notice some illegal activity that is taking place inside the company you work at, becoming a whistleblower can help protect the company and everyone else who works there. With that being said, there are certain things you should consider before blowing the whistle. Here are a few things to contemplate before becoming a whistleblower in Hawaii.
Ensure your case is valid
Before you decide to blow the whistle, you need to make sure that you have a solid case. Whistleblowing is to report illegal activity or any activity that could harm other employees at your company. You don’t want to accuse someone of doing something without good reason.
Follow procedures
Almost every company has specific procedures that you should take if you plan on being a whistleblower. Typically, there will be certain people you will need to report to and channels you will need to go through to report the illegal activity. You shouldn’t go around telling everyone about what you have discovered, or else it could get back to the people you’re reporting, and they get rid of all the evidence before they get caught.
Don’t try to be an investigator
While it is important that you have good reason to report what you have seen, you shouldn’t try to investigate the incident further. It’s better to just report what you know, and let the professionals do the investigating. You don’t want to try and investigate, only for them to notice you’re investigating them, which could ruin the entire case.
You are protected under law
There are laws in place to ensure that someone who becomes a whistleblower won’t face consequences such as getting fired or getting reprimanded by your company. This should ease your mind if you are someone who is hesitant to become a whistleblower because they’re afraid it might put their career in jeopardy. If your company does decide to fire you after becoming a whistleblower, you can sue your company for wrongful termination.
Some people might think it’d be easier to keep your mouth shut about the illegal activities they observed within the company. However, becoming a whistleblower can help keep other Hawaii residents out of harm’s way, so it is worth it.