The anxiously awaited Whistleblower Protection Act implementing the Whistleblowing Directive ((EU) 2019/1937) has now been approved, and it enters into force on 1 January 2023.
The key objective of the Whistleblowing Directive and the Act is to encourage persons who have become aware of suspected breaches against public interest in a work-related context to report their observations. This is promoted by adopting a new centralised whistleblowing channel among the authorities and by obligating most organisations in the public and private sector to establish a confidential internal whistleblowing channel. In addition, whistleblowers will be protected from negative consequences.
This article reviews the new obligations related to the establishment of internal whistleblowing channels and whistleblower protection in Finland.
Who must establish an internal whistleblowing channel?
Private sector employers regularly employing at least 250 employees and public sector employers regularly employing at least 50 employees must set up a whistleblowing channel within three months after the new Act enters to force by 1 April 2023. Private sector employers that regularly employ at least 50 employees will have to establish a whistleblowing channel by 17 December 2023.
Group companies can have a joint whistleblowing channel. In addition, smaller private sector organisations with fewer than 250 employees may, even without belonging to a same group of companies, share resources related to...
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