You've Got to Be Kidding!: How to Keep Your Job Without Losing Your Integrity

Protection for Whistle-Blowers Is Sketchy

Just being right is not enough these days. Sadly, there are no guarantees you will prevail, or assurances that you will not suffer reprisals. I suggest you immerse yourself in the work of the Government Accountability Project and other nonprofit whistle-blower protection groups. I also suggest that you do the following:

• Exhaust all reasonable possibilities of working within the system.
• Obtain legal opinions from attorneys specifically trained in this new subspecialty of employment law.
• Before taking any irreversible steps, talk to your family or close friends about your decision (without revealing specific details about your situation).
• Be alert and discreetly attempt to learn of any other witnesses who are upset about the wrongdoing.
• Develop a plan, such as the strategically timed release of information to government agencies, so your employer is reacting to you, instead of vice versa.
• Maintain good relations with administration and staff.
• Keep a careful record of events as they unfold. Try to construct a straightforward, factual log of the relevant activities and events on the job, keeping in mind that your employer will have access to your diary if there is a lawsuit.
• Identify and copy all necessary supporting records beforehand.
• Don’t become isolated. Seek a support network of potential allies, such as elected officials, journalists, and activists.
• Do not embellish your charges.
• Engage in whistle-blowing initiatives on your own time ...