Topics

Topics — a reporting channel that works, and a clock that keeps running

What does it concern at your organization?

Choose the situation that matches your business. Each topic answers one question, with the location in the regulation included.

Does the obligation apply to me?

• From how many employees is a reporting channel mandatory?
• Do temporary workers and casual workers count toward the fifty employees?
• Does the reporting obligation also apply below fifty employees?
• Can companies within a group share one reporting channel?
• What falls under a violation in the whistleblower law?
• what happens if it turns out we don't have a reporting channel when we should have one
• we're currently under fifty employees, can we shut down the reporting channel
• can a self-employed contractor working for us also use the reporting channel
• can someone who has applied for a job with us also report a concern about our company
• must a foundation or association also have a reporting channel

Setting up the reporting channel

• What must be included in a whistleblower policy?
• Does the works council have approval rights for the reporting policy?
• Who may handle whistleblower reports within a company?
• How do I inform employees about the reporting channel?
• Must I make anonymous reporting possible?
• Must an employee also be able to report orally?
• must I also open the reporting channel to customers and suppliers
• what exactly must be included in the annual report on the reporting channel
• we don't have a works council but we do have staff representation, does approval still apply
• I want to modify our reporting procedure, does the works council need to approve it again
• can I manage the reporting channel internally myself or must it be with an external party
• must foreign employees be able to report in their own language

A report has been received

• I have received a whistleblower report, what must I do now?
• Within how many days must I acknowledge a report?
• When must I inform a reporter about the assessment?
• Who may know who made the report?
• What falls under retaliation against a whistleblower?
• How do I close a report and what do I record?
• When may a reporter contact the Whistleblower House?
• a report turns out to be unjustified after investigation, what must I do with it
• the reporter wants to remain anonymous but I need more information, is that allowed
• an employee has lost his case code and can no longer log in to his report
• a report concerns the actions of the director himself, who handles that
• the investigation into a report takes a long time, can I extend the deadline for feedback
• a reporter disagrees with how we handled his report, what then
• can I engage an external investigator to investigate a report

Integrity and undesired conduct

• Where can an employee report undesired conduct?
• Is a confidential advisor mandatory?
• Does German whistleblower law apply to my branch there?
• a colleague is being bullied or harassed, where can he report that
• must I go to the confidential advisor or to the reporting channel with my complaint