Internal Whistleblower Complaints Raise Important Considerations

The number of whistleblower complaints is on the rise, according to the 2014 Annual Report to Congress on the Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Program, and defending against them can be costly and disrupt business operations. Taking appropriate steps in response to internal complaints can go a long way toward minimizing the risk that the issue becomes an external dispute at OSHA or in court.

Understanding the Objectives A prompt investigation and an understanding of the objectives of the investigation are paramount. Employers should decide, for example, whether the goal is to create a factual record, prepare an investigative report addressing a particular inquiry or legal consideration, provide a basis for decision making, or serve as a defense in anticipated litigation—or any combination of these objectives. These considerations will determine whether the investigation should be undertaken by a non-attorney or by corporate counsel or outside counsel, or both. For example, if the goal is simply to correct a problem internally, perhaps corporate counsel is appropriate. If, on the other hand, there is a high likelihood that the employee’s complaint will lead to full-blown litigation, outside counsel may be more appropriate. In addition, employers must have a basic understanding of the privileges afforded to attorney work product and attorney-client communications. This is because the choice of investigator can impact whether, and to what extent, these privileges apply to the information adduced during the investigation, which, in turn, will determine whether such information will be protected from disclosure to third parties.

Whistleblowers in Compliance or Audit Functions Employers should also know how to respond to the challenge raised by complaints made by whistleblowers who work in compliance or audit functions or are otherwise responsible for receiving and investigating internal whistleblower complaints. These “trusted” whistleblowers are especially problematic because, while they should be working to investigate and correct the issue internally, they may also decide to blow the whistle themselves and report the matter to outside authorities. Further, while they are generally ineligible for financial awards under the Dodd-Frank whistleblower bounty program, these “trusted” whistleblowers can become eligible for an award if the business takes no corrective action within 120 days after they make an internal complaint. They are also protected by anti-retaliation provisions of Dodd-Frank and SOX.

Training Managers to Receive Complaints One of the most important considerations is making sure that supervisors and managers are trained and understand how to recognize and elevate a whistleblower complaint to the appropriate internal legal or compliance unit, and how to conduct themselves going forward to minimize the risk of a retaliation claim by an employee who blows the whistle. Issues are frequently first raised at the supervisory level, and the sooner that compliance and/or legal professionals receive information about a claim so that they can access the appropriate response, the sooner an internal investigation can commence, when necessary. Further, managing an employee who has made a whistleblower claim can present a host of challenges, particularly if the employee is under-performing and therefore has been or is becoming a candidate for corrective or even disciplinary action. If a current employee raises a whistleblower complaint, it is essential that the alleged wrongdoing is not compounded by retaliation against that employee (or by actions that give the appearance of retaliation). Thus, supervisors and managers should receive periodic training regarding the laws and company policies prohibiting retaliation. They should also understand the need to have any potentially adverse employment actions vetted by the legal department before taking action. Finally, supervisors and managers should be given appropriate support from the legal and/or human resources departments in terms of counseling and advice in dealing with the whistleblower on a day-to-day basis as issues arise, rather than trying to navigate these waters on their own.