Tomorrow, Tuesday 13 June, three months after the entry into force of the law, all companies with more than 250 workers must have an internal information system in place in their organisation, through which reports of regulatory infringements can be made. This reporting channel must also have a system to protect whistleblowers. The aim is to ensure that whistleblowers are completely anonymous and cannot be retaliated against.
Companies with 50 or more employees will have a longer deadline, namely until 1 December this year.
Regardless of the number of employees, and apart from companies, political parties, trade unions, business organisations, as well as those foundations that depend on them, provided that they receive public funds for their financing, will also have to have this internal whistleblowing system.
The sanctioning regime of the law contemplates as a very serious infringement the non-compliance with the obligation to have an internal information system, establishing a fine ranging from €600,001 to €1 million, in the case of legal entities.
This law transposes the European directive, popularly known as Whistleblowing, based on the Anglo-Saxon trend that has been regulating for years the protection of “whistleblowers”, the whistleblowers.
