Dear Public Service Confidential,

I'm a term employee that has observed unethical behaviour on the part of my supervisor. (I'm keeping this deliberately vague because describing the behaviour would make my identity obvious to some.)

Are there protections in place for term employees to report superiors to an ombuds or would I be risking my future in the public service?

Regards,

— a potential whistleblower

First, I want to acknowledge how difficult your situation must be.

Witnessing behaviour you believe to be unethical is troubling in itself. And as a term employee, wondering whether speaking up could cost you your future in the public service, you feel particularly vulnerable.

You are right to think carefully before acting. And you are right to ask whether any protections exist.

The short answer is yes, they do. But like most things in a large institution, the picture is a little more complicated.

Let me walk you through some of the issues you raise.

You say you have witnessed unethical behaviour, but you don't say what. So, my first question is, how do you know? Is it something clearly inconsistent with the Values and Ethics Code, such as a conflict of interest or misuse of public resources? Or is it a decision your supervisor made that you disagree with? Do you have facts, or an impression? The answer determines which door to knock on, and how seriously the system will take you. (If it concerns how you are personally treated, harassment processes may fit...