"Whistle blowing" is a verbal and/or written communication, to a Person, Organization, or Activity, which is in the Public Sector (Government - local, state, or federal) or private Sector (Business/Industry/Non-government),the purpose of such communication being to expose and/or inform upon, alleged wrongdoing (fraud, theft, etc.), or discrimination (race, religion, national origin, gender, etc.), or retaliation, or some other type adverse occurrence that violates a law, or a regulation, or a policy, or morals, or ethics, or decency, and especially those matters that endanger public health and/or public safety.
A whistleblower is an employee, former employee, or member of an organization, especially a business or government agency, who reports misconduct to people or entities that have the power and presumed willingness to take corrective action. Generally the misconduct is a violation of law, rule, regulation, and/or a direct threat to public interest, such as fraud, health/safety violations, and corruption.
An employee who publicly alleges wrongdoing at his or her company or who reports this information to appropriate government agencies is a whistle blower.
Whistle blowing has to do with ethics because it represents a person’s understanding, at a deep level, that an action his or her organization is taking is harmful—that it interferes with people’s rights or is unfair or detracts from the common good. Whistle blowing also calls upon the virtues, especially courage, as standing up for principles can be a punishing experience. Even though laws are supposed to protect whistle blowers from retaliation, people who feel threatened by the revelations can ostracize the whistle blower, marginalizing or even forcing him or her out of public office. On the other hand, there have been occasions when the role of whistle blower has actually catapulted people into higher office and has earned the respect of constituents
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