When your Florida employer does something illegal, unethical or dangerous and you decide to call attention to it, you have certain protections available to you in doing so. As a whistleblower, you have the potential to make a serious impact on others, but the process involved in blowing the whistle may prove stressful and anxiety-inducing.
Per the Office of the Whistleblower Ombuds, there are certain things you might do while navigating the whistleblower journey that may make things easier on you. When you decide to blow the whistle, consider also taking the following steps.
Maintain a strong paper trail
The strength of your whistleblower claim depends on the evidence you have compiled that supports it. So, the more information or evidence you are able to compile, the stronger your argument may be. Make sure to document key facts in findings relating to your claim in a journal. It may also serve you well to add a note at the top of the journal stating that you are keeping these notes to help refresh your memory later on.
Secure and protect evidence
If you have compiled evidence that backs up your claims, make sure to store it somewhere safe. When possible, avoid taking original documents out of your place of business and instead try to photograph them. Once you have evidence that backs up your claim, consider storing it with an attorney or somewhere outside of your business in case your employer tries to identify who blew the whistle.
Making smart moves while blowing the whistle on your employer may mean the difference between experiencing a major professional loss or making an impactful move that has a positive impact on others.