The Outcome
Perhaps the most important matter to consider before publicly speaking out against an employer is identifying the outcome you want to achieve — and understanding the other possible outcomes you may face. Although each case sees a unique resolution, several potential outcomes can be anticipated: Lawsuits Aside from lawsuits that may be filed against the […]
Job and Financial Security
Deciding to speak out publicly against an employer is likely to have a ripple effect that can impact a whistleblower’s career, even years later. Whistleblowing is an important pillar of American democracy, but it does not pay the bills. Workplace retaliation According to a study published in the DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal, two-thirds […]
Digital Security
Blowing the whistle in the digital era brings nuanced challenges in cybersecurity and data protection. You need to ensure that your identity and personal information — and that of your loved ones — are safeguarded online. Every whistleblower should take the following cybersecurity steps before going public: Understand your data rights. Data literacy, especially when […]
Preparing for Retaliation
Backlash “comes with the territory” of speaking out against a public organization. After sharing a story with the media — and with the public, once it is published — a whistleblower needs to be prepared for possible doxing and other types of harassment, both online and offline. Here are some ways to stay safe and […]
Documentation
A whistleblower’s story is only as good as the proof that backs it up — which makes documentation a fundamentally important part of the whistleblowing process. “Documentation when you’re fighting discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is critical. But [whistleblowers] are so often told along the way to not document for a variety of reasons . . . So […]
Paths to Going Public
Just as every whistleblower’s story is unique, so too is their path in bringing it to the public. Some are most comfortable sharing their story with one trusted journalist, and others would rather take matters into their own hands with self-publication. Whistleblowers typically navigate one of these three paths in coming forward: Disclosing information to […]
