David Royden
1970 - 2008

back to home page

Dismissal for making a Public Interest Disclosure

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, which came into force on 2 July 1999, provides protection for 'whistleblowers' - workers who are dismissed or victimised as a result of making a qualifying disclosure. It applies both to employees, whose dismissal (or selection for redundancy) will be held to be unfair if it is wholly or mainly for making a disclosure within the meaning of the Act, and to workers who are not employees, who can complain to an employment tribunal that they have suffered a detriment if their contracts are terminated for making such a disclosure, compensation being awarded on the same basis as for unfair dismissal. Both employees and workers who are not employees are also protected from detrimental action or deliberate inaction by their employer falling short of dismissal or termination of contract.

There is no qualifying period of service or age limit for employees who wish to complain that they have been dismissed for a reason described in this section.

back to home page