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Serious wrongdoing at work (protected disclosure)

Hara nui ki te mahi (whio wīhara)

The Ombudsman can provide assistance if you want to make a disclosure about serious wrongdoing at work and be protected.

The Ombudsman also provides guidance to employers in the public and private sectors about how to follow the correct process when dealing with protected disclosures.

Read this section, or download a guide:

Making a protected disclosure

What is serious wrongdoing?

Serious wrongdoing includes:

  • An offence
  • A serious risk to the health or safety of the public or an individual
  • A serious risk to the maintenance of the law
  • Unlawful, corrupt or irregular use of public funds or resources   
  • Oppressive, discriminatory or grossly negligent acts, or gross mismanagement by  a public sector employee or a person performing a public function.

Under the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 (or PDA) you can report serious wrongdoing in both public and private sector workplaces.