A whistleblower is someone who reports a person or organization involved in illegal activity.

• Whistleblowers play a crucial role in revealing illegal, unsafe, or fraudulent activities within organizations.
• Laws like the Whistleblower Protection Act safeguard whistleblowers from retaliation, including demotion or termination.
• Whistleblowers may receive financial rewards if their information leads to successful legal action.
• The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was introduced after the Enron scandal, highlighted by whistleblower Sherron Watkins.
• The term "whistleblower" has evolved to have a positive connotation thanks to efforts by activists and journalists.

What Is a Whistleblower?

A whistleblower reports illegal, unsafe, or fraudulent activity, and laws like the Whistleblower Protection Act and Sarbanes-Oxley, along with agencies like OSHA and the SEC, provide protections and sometimes incentives against retaliation. Cases like Enron and Watergate show how whistleblowing can prompt major investigations, penalties, and reforms.1

Whistleblower Roles and Oversight

Many organizations address whistleblowing, but some focus on specific areas. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is more interested in environmental and safety breaches, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is more concerned with securities law violations. Some regulatory agencies maintain formal whistleblower programs that may include confidentiality protections and, in...

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