Raiseaconcern.com

Wrongdoing in the workplace covers misconduct, malpractice, malfeasance or impropriety of any nature that occurs within or is related to the workplace. Below is a list of examples of wrongdoing :

• Acceptance of unauthorised gifts, benefits and hospitality ;
• An act, omission or course of conduct that :
  • is oppressive,
  • is improperly discriminatory,
  • is grossly negligent, or
  • constitutes gross mismanagement;
• Breach or likely breach of criminal, civil,company or employment law;
• Breach of copyright law or use of unlicensed software;
• Breach of tax law;
• Breach of operational or internal controls;
• Bullying, harassment of any nature, exploitation, mistreatment or discrimination;
• Competition or anti-trust issues e.g. price fixing
• Concern about actions that could be or are putting the health or safety of individuals at risk;
• Conduct or unbecoming behaviour likely to damage, directly or indirectly, the reputation of the employer, its management or staff or its products or business;
• Conflict of interest;
• Corruption of any nature including asking for, taking, offering or paying bribes or facilitation payments;
• Damage or risk to the environment;
• Drug, substance or alcohol abuse;
• Failure or likely failure to comply with any regulatory obligations whether general or specific to the business of the employer;
• Falsification of documents or reports;
• Financial irregularity, malpractice or misstatement;
• Fraud, theft or misappropriation of funds;
• Improper use of company assets;
• Insider trading;
• Miscarriage of justice that has occurred or is likely to occur;
• Misselling;
• Misuse or inappropriate disclosure of confidential employer organisation or customer information;
• Offences of any nature;
• Professional or other forms of negligence;
• Unethical behaviour which is in breach of the employer’s Code of Ethics;
• Unlawful, corrupt or irregular use of funds or resources of the employer or of any public body;
• Violence or threatened violence in the workplace;
• Intentionally concealing or destroying evidence relating to any of the above.

Concerns need not be bounded by time or place. The misconduct or wrongdoing can have occurred in the past, it may be ongoing or may be likely to be committed in the future. It can have occurred in Ireland or elsewhere.

These are examples only and this list, though extensive, may not describe all forms of workplace wrongdoing.

Raising a concern to your employer or to Raiseaconcern about workplace wrongdoing will in some, but not all of the above cases entitle you to protection under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014. See Raiseaconcern.com Easy Guide to the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 - What is 'Relevant Wrongdoing. They may, however, qualify for protection under your organisation's Policy on Raising Concerns about Wrongdoing (Whistleblowing Policy).