Whistleblower protection obligations to kick in on 25 September

​​by ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Maciej Ogórek 

16 September 2024 

The Whistleblower Protection Act was published in the Journal of Laws on 24 June 2024.

 It introduces new requirements for, among other things, entities hiring at least 50 people. The 50-people headcount includes also workers hired under civil law contracts. Smaller entities can also implement the solutions foreseen by this statute.

Businesses that exceed the above threshold, as well as other operators who run businesses listed in the statute, should soon (the legislation becomes effective on 25 September) implement in-house whistleblowing procedures and internal reporting channels.

When you implement the whistleblowing procedure, remember to designate organisational units or individuals who will accept and process reports. All follow-up actions taken after a whistleblowing report should be conducted confidentially, impartially and with due diligence. Pay special attention to establishing the rules of processing personal data that will be processed in connection with the report.

The in-house whistleblowing procedure must also be consulted with the trade union organisation or representatives of workers within 5 to 10 days, which you should take into account when planning the implementation date in your organisation.

We recommend that all companies that have not yet implemented a whistleblowing procedure take action to implement one and/or check whether their existing solutions comply with the law. Not sure how to do it? 

​​​You are welcome to contact us.