The CFPB is proud to recognize the importance of National Whistleblower Day, which occurs every year on July 30th. The American tradition of whistleblowing – revealing information about illegal activity within an organization -- dates at least to Benjamin Franklin and the Revolutionary War. And whistleblowers at financial institutions have long played an important role in alerting the public as well as government agencies to illegal misconduct.

Whistleblowers help the CFPB protect consumers and support the rule of law. The CFPB has welcomed whistleblower allegations since its inception and continues to take concrete steps to ensure that whistleblowers are supported and protected. More recently, we streamlined how tech workers can alert us to potential violations of federal consumer financial laws. Since the CFPB began accepting whistleblower allegations, the use of data and technology in nearly every consumer financial market has transformed the financial landscape. These technologies can help intentional and unintentional discrimination burrow into financial decision-making systems, and whistleblowers can help ensure that technologies are applied in law-abiding ways.

Congress recognized whistleblowers’ important role in the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA). The CFPA provides anti-retaliation protections for employees of providers of consumer financial products and services who share information regarding potential violations. Employees protected by the statute may...

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