Government whistleblowers will get better protection in Flanders

The Flemish Parliament unanimously approved a new whistleblower regulation on Wednesday. Staff members of the government of Flanders and local administrations who bring abuses or corruption to light will no longer have to fear dismissal in the future, says Flemish minister of Home Affairs, Bart Somers.

"If staff members identify violations, such as discrimination, violation of privacy, fraud or other abuses, they will be able to bring them to light, without fear of dismissal or other sanctions," said minister Somers. 

The regulations are a transposition of a European directive, which ensures that the burden of proof for dismissal lies with the dismissing employer. The manager must prove that the dismissal is not related to the report.

According to minister Somers, the Flemish regulations go one step further. Besides Union law, all national, Flemish and local legislation are included in the regulation. That way, potential reporters will not have to wonder whether they are dealing with federal, European or Flemish rules before looking for where to file their report. "The tangle of different levels of government should not be a barrier to uncovering abuses," Somers concluded. 

(TOM)

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