More employees at B.C.’s agencies, boards, commissions, and several Crown corporations are now protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act.
The B.C. government announced on Thursday, it has expanded whistleblower protections to include more employees.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act allows current and former employees to share information confidentially about serious wrongdoings that affect the public, with designated officials within their organizations or to the Office of the Ombudsperson.
This now applies to staff in government ministries, independent offices of the legislature and tribunals, as well as select organizations.
“It also provides employees who participate in investigations under the act with protection from reprisals, such as demotion, termination or other measures that adversely affect the employee’s work conditions,” said Ministry of Attorney General staff, in a release.
“It ensures that employees under investigation are treated fairly.
As of Dec. 1, 39 more organizations will now be covered by the act, mostly Crown corporations and agencies.
According to the province, health authorities and educational institutions are expected to be under the act in the next two years.
The full list of organizations that are now included can be seen online.
The Public Interest Disclosure Act was first introduced back in 2019.