Government treatment of whistleblowers is 'appalling'

MHK says those raising concerns should be welcomed rather than ostracised

An MHK says the way whistleblowers are treated by government is 'appalling', and they should be welcomed rather than ostracised.

Arbory, Castletown and Malew member Tim Glover compiled a dossier in 2023 looking at the findings of a whistleblowing committee, how the topic had been discussed in Tynwald since, and hearing from those going through the whistleblowing process.

The report includes quotes from whistleblowers who describe the system as 'cruel' and 'frightening'.

Mr Glover has recently updated the document and says a change is still needed:

The body representing a number of trade unions on the Island believes there's an urgent need for change to the whistleblowing process.

The Isle of Man Trades Union Council comments come after the chair of the employment and equality tribunal recently voiced concern about the legal support available to government when defending a whistleblowing claim.

In a statement, it said: "The concerns raised anonymously about the treatment of government employees are serious and cannot be ignored.

"Whistleblowers and aggrieved employees must be protected, not punished. Attempts to label their claims as 'vexatious' or to delay grievances until they time out are unacceptable and risk undermining public trust.

"We note the Tribunal Chair’s criticism of the Attorney General’s Department. Such warnings highlight the urgent need for change.

"Unions exist to defend workers against intimidation and unfair tactics. We stand with those who speak up in the public interest and we will continue to press government to follow its own safeguarding policies and to act transparently.

"This is not only about individual cases – it is about the Isle of Man’s reputation as a fair place to live and work. The Chief Minister must ensure that concerns are addressed properly, not swept under the carpet. Our members deserve better."

In response, the Isle of Man Government says:

‘Isle of Man Government remains committed to working with its employees across the whole organisation to address any performance issues and any concerns that are raised informally and constructively.  

‘There are occasions where this is not possible, or relationships deteriorate, and there are procedures in place to support such situations.  Government would always encourage any employees with concerns to raise these and has a range of formal and informal mechanisms in support.

‘It is not Government policy to comment on individual cases and we are unable to comment on remarks made by the Chair of the Employment and Equality Tribunal.

‘The whistleblowing policy sets out a fair and transparent process that fully complies with the Employment Act 2006. Last week the revised corporate whistleblowing policy was approved by the Public Services Commission. The policy was last reviewed and updated in October 2022 and again earlier this year, following legislative changes that took effect from 1 April 2025.

‘All public service staff can access the whistleblowing policy via the Office of Human Resources website and, in addition, staff can report major wrongdoing safely, anonymously and in complete confidence by using the Public Services Integrity Line. The Integrity Line has been in place since 2022 and is operated independently by Crimestoppers.  The line has recently been enhanced to provide further options for those who choose to remain anonymous.

‘Training on whistleblowing is mandatory for all employees - for designated managers and reporting officers, this is delivered by OHR and the Attorney General’s Chambers. The whistleblowing policy and related documents are easy to find on an internal website that was launched for government staff in August 2025. If staff have questions, they can quickly get answers using a chatbot that is available 24 hours, seven days a week.’

You can hear Mr Glover's conversation with Manx Radio in full on the latest episode of the Manx Newscast: