Public Interest Disclosure Order/Protected Disclosure
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​The Public Interest Disclosure (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 provides protection for an individual who makes a qualifying disclosure (also referred to as whistle blowing) in good faith to their employer or other third party against dismissal or detriment for making the disclosure.  A qualifying disclosure is one which in the reasonable belief of the individual tends to show one or more of the following:

• that a criminal offence has been committed, is being committed or is likely to be committed,
• that a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation to which he is subject,
• that a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur,
• that the health or safety of any individual has been, is being or is likely to be endangered,
• that the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged, or
• that information tending to show any matter falling within any one of the preceding sub-paragraphs has been, is being or is likely to be deliberately concealed.

It is automatically unfair to dismiss an employee or subject them to a detriment for making a protected disclosure.