Northland School Board of Trustees
Protected Disclosures Policy
Rationale:
The Board of Trustees is required to have procedures in place to meet the requirements of the Protected Disclosures Act 2000.
Purpose:
To facilitate the disclosure and investigation of matters of serious wrongdoing within or by the school; and to protect employees of the school who make disclosures of information about serious wrongdoing within the school.
Guidelines:
o A protected disclosure in accordance with section 6 of the 2000 Act is a declaration about serious wrongdoing within the school made by an employee. Employees making disclosures will be protected against retaliatory or disciplinary action and will not be liable for civil or criminal proceedings related to the disclosure if they believe on reasonable grounds that the information they provided is true or likely to be true.
o Serious wrongdoing includes, for example, any of the following:
- any unlawful, corrupt, or irregular use of public funds or resources
- conduct that constitutes a serious risk to public health or public safety
- conduct that constitutes an offence
- conduct that is oppressive, improperly discriminatory, grossly negligent, or that constitutes gross mismanagement
o Before making a disclosure the employee should be sure the following conditions are met:
- the information is about serious wrongdoing in or by the school
- the employee believes on reasonable grounds the information to be true;
- the employee wishes the wrongdoing to be investigated;
- the employee wishes the disclosure to be protected.
o Any past or present employee of the school including a past or present principal or a contractor supplying services to the school can make a disclosure.
o An employee who makes a disclosure will, subject to Clause 5 of the Protected Disclosures Procedure, annexed to this policy in accordance with section 7 of the Protected Disclosures Act 2000, have their disclosure treated with the utmost confidentiality.
Approved: 15 September 2009
Review Date: 2012