Some important changes to whistleblowing laws have been brought into force today:

• To be protected in a whistleblowing scenario, a worker must now reasonably believe that their whistleblowing is in the public interest.  Previously workers  might have taken a whistleblowing claim based on, for example, an allegation that related to their own employment terms and conditions.
• There is no longer a requirement for whistleblowing to be in good faith. However, if an Employment Tribunal considers that a disclosure has been made in bad faith, it may reduce any compensation awarded to the worker by up to 25%.
• An employee may be personally liable where he or she victimises a worker who has blown the whistle and an employer may be liable for that victimisation if the employer has not taken all reasonable steps to prevent it.