A politician who spearheaded calls for whistleblowing protections has criticised the Social Security Minister for putting the proposed legislation on hold – despite a unanimous States Assembly decision more than three years ago.
Deputy Carina Alves said she was “really disappointed” that Social Security Minister Elaine Millar would not progress the legislation next year and had not read the draft law.
She accused Senator Millar of going back on both the Assembly’s decision and a commitment she made when previously serving as Social Security Minister in July 2023.
Deputy Alves described the whistleblowing safeguards as “vital protection for workers”.
“People should be able to raise concerns about wrongdoing in the public interest without fear of retaliation,” she said.
“We do not need more delay. We do not need more consultation. We need action. Plain and simple.”
States Members unanimously backed Deputy Alves’s proposition in July 2023 calling for the government to bring forward whistleblowing legislation within 12 months.
A draft law was eventually put forward in March this year by then Social Security Minister Lyndsay Feltham, who described it as “an important and significant development in Jersey’s employment legislation”.
At the time, Deputy Feltham said there was “a clear need for statutory protection for those who know of, or witness, wrongdoing by employers, individuals, organisations, or other bodies”.
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