Employers in in Alabama may assume that all whistleblower claims are credible and factual. However, a small percentage of complaints contain false information in an effort to discredit a company or have a specific employee terminated. The best course of action is to thoroughly investigate every claim that is received before making a final decision.
When claims are false
Some whistleblower claims are made using false information for the purpose of hurting a company or a specific employee. False complaints often contain similar wording, exaggerated details or a lack of specific information that is impossible to verify.
Some complaints created by ransomware and sent to different companies in a series of cybersecurity attacks. The motives remain unclear, but some false allegations are linked to cybersecurity attacks and may be an attempt to bypass a company’s cybersecurity system.
Investigating whistleblower claims
A whistleblower claim is designed to expose the wrongdoing of a company, organization or individual. No matter how credible an accusation sounds, it’s also necessary to investigate the whistleblower for wrongdoing. False accusers are often ex-employees or competitors who are trying to ruin a company’s reputation. In every case of whistleblowing, the defendants have to hire defense lawyers and investigate every claim that is being made against them.
An investigation before the prosecution
Every whistleblower claim should be handled with an internal investigation that is performed by an agent within the company or by a third-party source. It’s also advisable to review state and federal laws. An anonymous or vague whistleblower complaint cannot be taken lightly since it could be false.