Verified Document

Whistleblower HR Management And The Essay

Cultures of greed, corruption and misrepresentation helped to facilitate a massive transfer of wealth, substantial enough to suggest that a denial of awareness on the part of personnel at such organizations is nothing short of implausible. Therefore, we can presume that an absence or real protections for would-be whistleblowers in private enterprises would help to accommodate a wave of corruption every bit as destructive to the public as any government indiscretion such as the Whistleblower Protection Act was designed to address. Beyond this, there are indications that the federal legislation lacks the proper mechanisms even to serve as a template for that which might address the failures in private regulation. The article by Fischer (1991) provides myriad examples in which exceptions and clauses relating to the Whistleblower Protection Act have made it essentially toothless. Specifications such as that which denotes that only certain 'covered employees' qualify for the protections afforded by the act are indicative of a piece of legislation deeply laden with loopholes. As Fisher indicates, this is especially problematic because these loopholes create a false sense of security for whistleblowers that they are somehow protected from retaliatory action. The anecdotal indications provided by Fisher would suggest that the various exceptions written into the WPA have made it all but impotent for those intending to intervene with unethical company practices. The outcome then, is that leaders in management or personnel who attempt to report wrongdoing under the assumption of protection are particularly vulnerable to job loss or retaliation.

Overcoming Ethical Dilemmas:

There is a clear ethical imperative to take some action to better facilitate intervention in the face of systemic corruption. At present, this must take the form of better and more pervasive legislation promoting more effective and more widely administered protection for whistleblowers. From the federal perspective invoked by the WPA, there remains a direct interest in refining existing laws to make these protections more pronounced and realistic. Thus, a designated congressional team "is acting promptly to pass federal whistleblower rights as free standing legislation, after...

Thus, for those in a position of leadership that object to certain ethical divergences which have become endemic to a company culture, OSHA may actually be an effective avenue for consultation. According to the United States Department of Labor (2008), OSHA "administers the whistleblowing provisions of sixteen other statutes, protecting employees who report violations of various trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail, consumer product and securities laws." (USDoL, 1)
Conclusion:

This demonstrates that there are a variety of channels separate from the overarching Whistleblower Protection Act which may be accessed in the event that one faces an ethical dilemma in the workplace. However, the WPA is also the most sweeping and important legislative acts in this regard, and should thus be considered a candidate both for constant refinement and for better application in the private context. Ultimately, the aims of the Act represent what should be the ambitions of the Securities and Exchange Commission where private enterprises are concerned. If the rationale of the WPA is for the protection of the public good and the public interest against public corruption, than those who serve to steward our private organizations must be made accountable for the same good and interest.

Works Cited:

Fisher, B.D. (1991). Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989: A False Hope for Whistleblowers. Rutgers Law Review, 43(355).

Government Accountability Project (GAP). 2009). Whistleblower Protection Act & Amendments. Whistlblower.org.

U.S. Department of Labor (USDoL). (2008). The Whistleblower Protection Program. OSHA.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). (1989). Whistleblower Protection Act Information. SEC.gov.

Whitaker, L.P. (2007). The Whistleblower Protection Act: An Overview. Congressional Research Service.

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited:

Fisher, B.D. (1991). Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989: A False Hope for Whistleblowers. Rutgers Law Review, 43(355).

Government Accountability Project (GAP). 2009). Whistleblower Protection Act & Amendments. Whistlblower.org.

U.S. Department of Labor (USDoL). (2008). The Whistleblower Protection Program. OSHA.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). (1989). Whistleblower Protection Act Information. SEC.gov.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Performance Management and Managing Expectations
Words: 1703 Length: 6 Document Type: Case Study

Case Study Critique: Performance ManagementIntroductionIn the United States, it is generally considered lawful for a public administration employee to be fired for poor performance. Public employees are employed at will, meaning that they can be terminated for any reason that is not illegal. Poor performance is not considered an illegal reason for termination, and thus public employees can be fired for this reason. There are some exceptions to this general

Human Resource Management Equal Employment
Words: 2578 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

Advice is given to supervisors on how to correct poor appearance and employee misconduct. In these instances, progressive guidelines and other requirements must be taken into account the completing disciplinary actions and in resolving employee grievances and appeals. Information is given to employees to encourage a better understanding of management's goals and policies. Information is also given to employees in order to assist them in improving poor performance, on

Ethics and Industrial Relations
Words: 1266 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Part I Three concepts presented by Palmer (2012) that can be used to help explain the type of culture that contributed to the Columbia disaster are: 1) general endorsement of wrongdoing (Palmer, 2012, p. 69); 2) the stipulation of extenuating circumstances (Palmer, 2012, p. 72); and 3) denial of responsibility (Palmer, 2012, p. 73). In the Columbia disaster, the shuttle had been shedding foam which damaged the craft and led to

Organization Ethics Systemdevelopment
Words: 1864 Length: 6 Document Type: Essay

Organization Ethics Development System While seeking to succeed in their respective industries, firms have shifted focus towards implementing ethical practices related to their human resource management policies. The goal of ethical practices is to capture timeless ethical guidelines, principles, related information and examples containing fundamentals of the changing business environment. In this study, I have reviewed my current workplace to determine the degree of implementation of OEDS components. I have also

Consequentialist and Deontological Ethical Issues
Words: 2715 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Consequentialist and Deontological Ethical Issues. Consequentialism states that the morality of an action is determined by the specific results of that action. Deontology, on the other hand, states that the morality of an action is determined by duty or adherence to given rules. (Theodore Roosevelt) Consequentialism is based on the consequences of actions. According to consequentialism, actions are right or wrong depending on whether their consequences further the goal. The goal

False Claims Act Contain 'Qui Tam' or
Words: 1599 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

False claims act contain 'qui tam' or whistleblower provisions. This work will discuss the pros and cons of being a whistleblower and to ask the question of if one were aware of the fraudulent issues in the healthcare organization why would they not report the issues? In 1975, in the case (NLRB vs. Weingarten, Inc. 420 U.S. 251, 88 LRRM 2689 the U.S. Supreme Court established the rights of employees to

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now