Press Release: DLA Piper
An Act to strengthen the protection available to whistleblowers in New Zealand will soon come into effect, leaving businesses and organisations little time to get their house in order.
The Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 comes into effect on 1 July 2022.
Laura Scampion, Head of Employment and Country Managing Partner at DLA Piper in New Zealand says employers who do not yet have whistleblowing policies or procedures should look to implement them as soon as possible.
“Now is the time for those organisations with whistleblowing policies to get them reviewed in order to align them with the new rules and guidance. For those that don’t have a whistleblowing policy it is timely to have a think about how an employee in your organisation can realistically raise a serious complaint” she says.
The amendments to the Act are aimed at strengthening the protection available to whistleblowers in New Zealand. Key changes include: new guidance for a receiver of information, direct disclosure to an appropriate authority at any time, an extension to the definition of ‘serious wrongdoing’, internal procedures for public sector organisations and enhanced protection for disclosers (including if they are mistaken).
“The widening of serious wrongdoing could lead to some complexities. The new definition arguably covers bullying and harassment which are issues usually dealt with through an employer investigation, often as part of a personal...
Matt Arnold had done nothing wrong when a staff member approached him at the Sainsbury’s East Dulwich checkout. He had scanned his items, tapped his Nectar card, and was told he couldn’t be served...