Your rights as a fraud reporter
What is a whistleblower?
A whistleblower is someone who in good faith reports violations or abuses to the appropriate authorities.
Legal protection
- Act of Sept. 15, 2013 on employee notification of suspected violations
- EU Whistleblower Directive 2019/1937 (implemented in Belgian law)
- Protection against retaliation from employers or third parties
What is protected behavior?
- Reporting criminal offenses
- Reporting violations of EU law
- Reporting public health and safety hazards
- Reporting financial fraud
- Reporting social fraud and undeclared work
What protection do you get?
- Prohibition of retaliation (dismissal, demotion, harassment)
- Right to anonymity during trial
- Compensation for wrongful retaliation
- Legal assistance in proceedings
Conditions of protection
- Notification must be made in good faith
- Reasonable grounds for presumption of infringement
- Reporting to competent authorities or through recognized channels
