DOCSLIB.ORG

DISAVOWED: the Government’S Unchecked Retaliation Against National Security Whistleblowers

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
DISAVOWED: the Government’S Unchecked Retaliation Against National Security Whistleblowers DISAVOWED: The Government’s Unchecked Retaliation Against National Security Whistleblowers WRITTEN BY MELISSA GOODMAN, CATHERINE CRUMP, AND SARA CORRIS DISAVOWED: THE GOVERNMENT’S UNCHECKED RETALIATION AGAINST NATIONAL SECURITY WHISTLEBLOWERS Written by Melissa Goodman, Catherine Crump, and Sara Corris Copyright 2007 Nadine Strossen President Anthony D. Romero Executive Director American Civil Liberties Union 125 Broad Street, 18th Fl. New York, NY 10004 Phone: (212) 549-2600 Fax: (212) 549-2652 aclu.org National Security Whistleblowers Risk Everything to Shine Light on Government Misconduct EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There is a disturbing and systematic pat- ªMost national security whistleblowers tern of government retaliation against are not protected by the Imagine you work for the government. employees who uncover weaknesses or Whistleblower Protection Act. For an agency tasked with protecting the abuses in our national security apparatus. nation’s security – the CIA, the NSA, the This pattern of retaliation hurts not only the ªNational security whistleblowers who FBI. You love your job and you love your whistleblowers retaliated against, but the disclose abuses related to classified country. You have a duty to uphold the law American public. The public has a right to matters are unprotected. and the Constitution. The government know about government wrongdoing and trusts you with secrets – you’ve signed a security breaches. Though limited secrecy ªNational security whistleblowers can secrecy agreement and work with classi- may be necessary to protect national secu- be retaliated against even for fied information. And then you uncover rity, secrecy is all too often used as a shield disclosing wrongdoing to Congress. something deeply troubling. Maybe you’ve to hide illegal or embarrassing govern- learned about a surveillance program ment conduct. Overclassification of infor- ªWhen an agency retaliates against a that violates the law and the Constitution. mation makes it all the more important national security whistleblower by Or your agency is ignoring a serious secu- that we establish clear protections that taking away her security clearance, there is little the whistleblower can rity problem. Or you’ve watched others allow national security whistleblowers to do to save her job. torture a detainee during interrogation. Or come forward. The public needs to know you know the government is holding when our government is doing something Secrecy can be used all too easily as someone in a secret prison outside of any wrong – and we will never know without ª a weapon to silence national security legal system. Do you stay silent or do you whistleblowers. Whistleblowers deserve whistleblowers and prevent them speak up? Who do you tell? Do you have our gratitude, not scorn and mistreatment. from finding legal help or obtaining any legal protection? justice in court. It is important to keep in mind that with- out government whistleblowers we Whether a government employee National security whistleblowers would never have learned about the ª decides to speak out is intensely person- often find themselves improperly the shocking abuse of prisoners at Abu al – but almost all national security subject of retaliatory internal Ghraib or that the NSA was engaged in whistleblowers decide to disclose wrong- investigations. doing because they believe they have a warrantless surveillance of our phone calls and emails. Only an informed public patriotic duty to do so. They believe they National security whistleblowers who can make smart electoral choices and ª are acting in the best interests of nation- are lucky enough to be covered by al security. The vast majority of whistle- correct bad policy judgments. We need to the Whistleblower Protection Act are blowers start by reporting wrongdoing up know what government officials are not provided any real protection. the chain of command and go public (i.e. doing so that we can hold them account- able when they commit illegal or uncon- make disclosures to Congress or the ªNational security whistleblowers press) only as a last resort. stitutional acts, abuse our trust, or waste receive little protection from the our tax dollars. First Amendment. Many employees in national security agencies blow the whistle at their peril. This report aims to highlight the lack of They find no protection in the vast patch- real legal protection for national security work of laws designed to protect whistleblowers. The whistleblowers pro- whistleblowers. Whistleblowers often filed in this report serve as concrete, real- find themselves sidelined, without a life examples of what happens when security clearance, without a job, dis- national security whistleblowers are left credited, the victim of a smear cam- unprotected from retaliation. The follow- paign, investigated, labeled crazy, a bad ing flaws in whistleblower protection law team player, a liar, isolated. are discussed in this report: 4 AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION National security and intelligence agen- • Get rid of court-imposed hurdles to cies should not be trusted to police them- successful Whistleblower Protection selves, and should not be able to retaliate Act claims. against whistleblowers with impunity. For this reason, the ACLU recommends that • Impose time limits and require jury Congress act immediately to: trials where government watch-dog agencies fail to act on whistleblower ªProtect whistleblowers in national disclosures and complaints. security agencies from retaliation: • Get rid of the Federal Circuit monopoly • Make legal protection real and over whistleblower claims. meaningful. ªFix the Inspector General process • Protect national security whistleblowers and make Inspectors General more from retaliation for disclosing independent from the agencies they classified information to Congress investigate. and others authorized to receive classified information. Many of these reforms are already encompassed in pending legislation • Protect national security whistleblowers before both Houses of Congress – legisla- from security clearance-related tion that could be strengthened even fur- retaliation. ther. Polls show the American public over- whelmingly supports congressional action • Protect whistleblowers against to institute stronger laws protecting gov- retaliatory investigations. ernment employees who report waste or corruption. Employees working to protect • Require the agencies to provide our nation deserve the best whistleblower guidance and training about making protection Congress can give them. whistleblower complaints. • Permanently codify existing anti-gag provisions that prohibit interference with employees’ ability to speak with Congress. ªLimit the government’s ability to use secrecy as a weapon to defeat whistleblower court cases – particularly the government’s ability to use the state secrets privilege. ªFix the Whistleblower Protection Act: • Restore a reasonable definition of “any disclosure” and restore normal standards of proof. DISAVOWED 5 WHISTLEBLOWER CASE STUDY Michael German Michael German became an FBI Special Agent in 1988, immedi- While the amended reports now admitted that the FBI had ately after graduating from law school. “Joining the FBI was a indeed monitored a meeting between the two groups, it falsely childhood dream,” German recalled, “and I wanted to do it all.” characterized the nature of the meeting by omitting any men- tion of terrorism. German threw himself into his work, repeatedly volunteering for some of the most dangerous and difficult assignments the FBI Meanwhile, senior FBI officials took concerted steps to retaliate had to offer. He twice went undercover to infiltrate domestic ter- against German for blowing the whistle. Overlooking his previous rorist groups, solving a number of bombings and preventing other success, the Unit Chief of the Undercover Unit at FBI planned acts of terror by helping to win convictions against indi- Headquarters told his staff that German would “never work viduals who were producing illegal weapons. German was fre- undercover again.” When an agent working an unrelated terror- quently recognized, both inside the Bureau and out, for his intelli- ism case attempted to use German in an undercover role, he was gent and valiant work. prevented from pursuing the investigation for almost a year because FBI Headquarters refused to submit the case for “After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 I expected the approval. A second terrorism investigation was allowed to wither FBI to put my counterterrorism experience to use,” German said. on the vine all for the sake of punishing German for whistleblow- He did not have to wait long. In early 2002 German was asked to ing. To German, the most lamentable thing was that “the benefit assist in an FBI counterterrorism investigation that started when of my experience in infiltrating terrorist groups was lost to other the FBI caught on tape a secret meeting between a member of a FBI undercover agents because I was barred from providing train- domestic terrorist organization and a supporter of an overseas ing at FBI undercover schools.” Islamic terrorist organization. The purpose of the meeting was to try and develop operational ties between the two groups. “This German endured the FBI’s retaliation for nearly two years. During attempt was a potential nightmare,” German said, “where violent that time, the Inspector General never stepped in to prevent the extremists already in the U.S. would be doing the bidding of a for- retaliation, and
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Program Team Leader Solicitation Number: 72DFFP18R00015 Salary Level: GS-14 Equivalent: $114,590 - $148,967 (Includes Washington, D.C
    Request for Personal Service Contractor United States Agency for International Development Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Office of Food for Peace Position Title: Program Team Leader Solicitation Number: 72DFFP18R00015 Salary Level: GS-14 Equivalent: $114,590 - $148,967 (Includes Washington, D.C. locality pay) Issuance Date: October 25, 2018 Closing Date: November 15, 2018 Closing Time: 4:00 P.M. Eastern Time Dear Prospective Applicants: The United States Government (USG), represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Food for Peace (FFP), is seeking applications from qualified U.S. citizens to provide personal services as a Program Team Leader under a United States Personal Services Contract (USPSC), as described in the attached solicitation. Submittals must be in accordance with the attached information at the place and time specified. Applicants interested in applying for this position MUST submit the following materials: 1. Complete resume. In order to fully evaluate your application, your resume must include: (See sample resume on www.ffpjobs.com website) (a) Paid and non-paid experience, job title, location(s), dates held (month/year), and hours worked per week for each position. Dates (month/year) and locations for all field experience must also be detailed. Any experience that does not include dates (month/year), locations, and hours per week will not be counted towards meeting the solicitation requirements. (b) Specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work. (c) Names and contact information (phone/email) of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Current and/or previous supervisors may be contacted for a reference.
    [Show full text]
  • THE GENDER PAY GAP: Myth Vs
    THE GENDER PAY GAP: Myth vs. Reality… And What Can Be Done About It BY BEN FROST KORN FERRY HAY GROUP hat makes the gender pay Wissue a board-level concern? In a word, profitability. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics’ recent study of 21,980 companies in 91 countries, the presence of more female leaders in top positions of corporate management cor- relates with increased profitability. The gender pay gap has become a rallying cry among shareholder groups, in the media and also as a much-talked-about issue during the US presidential election season. According to one widely quoted statistic from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR): “In 2015, female full-time workers made only 79 cents for every dollar earned by men, a gender wage gap of 21 percent.” That quote has been repeated, reprinted and retweeted countless times, but how accurate is it? While there is some consensus that a gender pay gap exists, what is it really? Equally important, what are the causes, and what can organi- zations to do to ensure that individuals are paid what they are worth, regardless of gender? AN APPLES-TO-APPLES COMPARISON Korn Ferry Hay Group set out to create a more accurate view of what the gender pay gap actually is. We had one advantage at the outset, one lacking in other analyses: We were able to control for job level— the biggest driver of pay. Our pay database holds compensation data for more than 20 million employees in more than 110 countries and 8 KEEP READING THE GENDER PAY GAP THE GENDER PAY GAP across 25,000 organizations, making it the largest and the most compre- hensive such database in the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Proactive Workplace Bullying in Teams: Test of a Rational and Moral Model of Aggression
    DePaul University Via Sapientiae College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations College of Science and Health Summer 8-20-2017 Proactive Workplace Bullying in Teams: Test of a Rational and Moral Model of Aggression Anthony S. Colaneri DePaul University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/csh_etd Part of the Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Colaneri, Anthony S., "Proactive Workplace Bullying in Teams: Test of a Rational and Moral Model of Aggression" (2017). College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations. 232. https://via.library.depaul.edu/csh_etd/232 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Science and Health at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Running head: PROACTIVE WORKPLACE BULLYING IN TEAMS Proactive Workplace Bullying in Teams: Test of a Rational and Moral Model of Aggression A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts By Anthony S. Colaneri 7/4/2017 Department of Psychology College of Science and Health DePaul University Chicago, Illinois PROACTIVE WORKPLACE BULLYING IN TEAMS ii Thesis Committee Suzanne Bell, Ph.D., Chairperson Douglas Cellar, PhD., Reader PROACTIVE WORKPLACE BULLYING IN TEAMS iii Acknowledgments I would like to express my appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Suzanne Bell for her invaluable guidance and support throughout this process. I would also like to thank Dr. Douglas Cellar for his guidance and added insights in the development of this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • A Public Accountability Defense for National Security Leakers and Whistleblowers
    A Public Accountability Defense For National Security Leakers and Whistleblowers The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Yochai Benkler, A Public Accountability Defense For National Security Leakers and Whistleblowers, 8 Harv. L. & Pol'y Rev. 281 (2014). Published Version http://www3.law.harvard.edu/journals/hlpr/files/2014/08/ HLP203.pdf Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:12786017 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#OAP A Public Accountability Defense for National Security Leakers and Whistleblowers Yochai Benkler* In June 2013 Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, and Barton Gellman be- gan to publish stories in The Guardian and The Washington Post based on arguably the most significant national security leak in American history.1 By leaking a large cache of classified documents to these reporters, Edward Snowden launched the most extensive public reassessment of surveillance practices by the American security establishment since the mid-1970s.2 Within six months, nineteen bills had been introduced in Congress to sub- stantially reform the National Security Agency’s (“NSA”) bulk collection program and its oversight process;3 a federal judge had held that one of the major disclosed programs violated the
    [Show full text]
  • Sexual Harassment Quiz
    Sexual Harassment Quiz True or False 1. Sexual harassment complaints are generally false or unjustified. 2. Sexual harassment can occur outside the work site and still be considered work related. Incidents that occur at retirement parties and office socials or in training are some of the situations where work related harassment occurs. 3. Terms of endearment with co-workers, i.e. "honey," "dear" are considered verbal abuse and charges can be brought up against the employee. 4. Women in professional jobs (teachers, lawyers, engineers, doctors, etc.) are not as likely to be sexually harassed as women in blue-collar jobs (factory workers, secretaries, truck drivers, etc.) 5. If he didn’t like the sexual attention, but she meant it only as flirting or joking, then it was not sexual harassment. 6. Sexual harrassment is not limited to physical contact. It can occur any time that an individual is uncomfortable with another person’s approaches, comments or discussions. 7. Due to strict privacy laws, supervisors cannot monitor employee email or be found liable for sexual harassment via email by their employees. 8. Sexual harassment in the workplace is a women's issue. 9. Quid Pro Quo harassment is a form of sexual harassment when there is a request or demand of sexual favors in exchange for employment benefits or threatening reprisals if the favors are not given. 10. Friendly flirting is not sexual harassment when flirting is practiced between mutually consenting individuals who are equal in power or authority. 11. Employees claiming sexual harassment who are aware of but fail to take advantage of company policies or resources designed to prevent, correct or eliminate harassment have much weaker cases than those who do.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Power Skills' for Becoming a Team Leader
    Advice, technology and tools Send your careers story Your Work to: naturecareerseditor story @nature.com GETTY Leading a diverse team requires effective communication and organization. FIVE ‘POWER SKILLS’ FOR BECOMING A TEAM LEADER Volunteering with an organization can improve communication and help you adapt to the unexpected. By Sarah Groover and Ruth Gotian any scientists will oversee a team at can motivate and help trainees to reach their (APSA) in Westford, Massachusetts. The other some point in their careers, whether full potential. One of us (S.G.) is an immunology (R.G.) has nearly three decades of experience it is one or two undergraduates PhD student at Oklahoma State University in in directing leadership and mentoring devel- doing a summer internship, an Tulsa and volunteers as vice-president of the opment programmes in higher education and entire research group, or a depart- American Physician Scientists Association academic medical centres. Mment with students, technicians and postdoc- Identifying and developing ‘power skills’ toral researchers. Scientists are trained in their “Identifying and — the crucial abilities that enable a manager discipline, but are rarely, if ever, trained in how developing ‘power skills’ to connect with people, communicate to manage and mentor trainees. All too often, effectively, adapt to the unexpected and this results in a series of trials and errors that can help you to succeed be open-minded — can help you to succeed are frustrating to both mentor and protégé. in a supervisory role.” in a supervisory role. It is never too early Based on our respective experiences, we or too late to develop these competencies.
    [Show full text]
  • Team Leader REPORTS TO: Day Services Manager DEPARTMENT
    JOB TITLE: Team Leader REPORTS TO: Day Services Manager DEPARTMENT: Day and Employment Services JOB SUMMARY: Support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to provide person centered opportunities; promote confidentiality, respect, dignity, uniqueness, and physical and emotional well-being. Work with the people we support to develop and maintain relationships, advocate for justice, equality and full community inclusion. A Team Leader will demonstrate respect, integrity and responsibility to the people supported, as well as to co-workers and members of the community. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Participates in the development and implementation of schedules, activities, and or employment opportunities. Communicates concerns to Day Services Manager in a timely manner. Organizes assigned DSP staff in implementing plans, objectives and activities as planned. Provides supports in accordance with the individual’s program plan. Consistently implements and adheres to behavior management plans. Receives instruction, guidance, and direction from clinical staff on particular methods, treatments, etc. Utilizes a person centered approach by directly or indirectly providing opportunities for the people supported to make choices and decisions, learning to recognize individual’s non- traditional expressions of preference, and encouraging the development of relationships with those other than paid staff and with other individuals with developmental disabilities. Provides written and/or verbal feedback to appropriate supervisory staff regarding individual or facility related concerns. Assists in determining needed equipment and supplies and is responsible for monitoring and maintaining spending for program and staying within budget. Contributes to the effectiveness of treatment or habilitative plans by actively participating in their development, implementation, and documentation. Monitor and maintain a clean, safe, and supportive environment for the people supported at all times.
    [Show full text]
  • Job Description
    EXP001/2020 Project Title: EU- Brazil Sector Dialogues Support Facility DEADLINE: OEI is looking for a Senior Expert for the position of Team Leader in the project EU- Brazil Sector Dialogues Support Facility. The objective is to contribute to strengthening and further enlarging EU-Brazil bilateral relations in line with the EU Global Strategy, the EU Strategic Partnership with Brazil, and other relevant agreements and documents by fostering new and existing sector dialogues and other cooperation initiatives on priority themes of mutual interest. Please find below the tasks for this position and the criterias to be met for this position. If you are interested, please send your CV in EuropeAid Template by the 27th March 2020 at the following address email: [email protected] Key expert 1: Team Leader The Team Leader (TL) essentially perform advisory functions in two areas: the first concerns the monitoring of various sector dialogues, and the second deals with the planning, monitoring, implementation and evaluation of project activities itself. In order to ensure successful implementation of the project, close relationship will need to be established between the Team Leader and the EU Delegation, EEAS and Commission Services and the Brazilian stakeholders. The main tasks assigned to the team leader are (not exhaustive list): a) Overall responsibility for the management of the project with the support of the Junior Expert and leadership of the PMU; b) Supporting and monitor the implementation of the various activities, including drafting of project documents; c) Maintain close cooperation with various Brazilian and European actors involved in the various sector dialogues; d) Strategic planning and programming of the activities (chronogram of the implementation); e) Preparation of the Steering Committee and Management Committee meetings.
    [Show full text]
  • Job Quality Standards to Development Subsidies (Good Jobs First, 2003)
    From: The Policy Shift to Good Jobs: Cities, States, and Counties Attaching Job Quality Standards to Development Subsidies (Good Jobs First, 2003) Jurisdictions with Job Quality Standards (as of 2003) Jurisdiction Type(s) of Subsidies Covered/ Job Quality Requirements (wages are hourly unless otherwise stated) Name of Program(s) States Alabama Income Tax Capital Credit Program Companies must pay an average hourly wage of not less than $8.00 or provide average hourly compensation (wages, health care, retirement benefits, etc.) of not less than $10.00.1 Arizona Enterprise Zone Income and Premium Companies must pay compensation at least equal to the wage offer by county ($6.74 to Tax Credits $8.60 in 2003) and must pay at least 50% of employees’ health insurance.2 Arizona Job Training Program Large companies and those in urban areas must pay 100% of the county average wage, excluding government and mining. Small companies and/or rural companies must pay 90% of the county average wage.3 Arkansas Job Creation Income Tax Credit Companies in Tier 1 counties must pay above 180% of the county or state average wage, whichever is less; Tier 2 counties must pay above 170%, Tier 3 must pay above 160%, Tier 4 must pay above 150%.4 California Industrial Development Bonds Companies must pay prevailing wages for construction on public works paid for in whole or part by public funds.5 Employment Training Panel Companies must pay 50% of the state or regional average wage to new hires, and 60% of the state or regional average wage to retrainees.
    [Show full text]
  • NSA) Surveillance Programmes (PRISM) and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Activities and Their Impact on EU Citizens' Fundamental Rights
    DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES POLICY DEPARTMENT C: CITIZENS' RIGHTS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS The US National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance programmes (PRISM) and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) activities and their impact on EU citizens' fundamental rights NOTE Abstract In light of the recent PRISM-related revelations, this briefing note analyzes the impact of US surveillance programmes on European citizens’ rights. The note explores the scope of surveillance that can be carried out under the US FISA Amendment Act 2008, and related practices of the US authorities which have very strong implications for EU data sovereignty and the protection of European citizens’ rights. PE xxx.xxx EN AUTHOR(S) Mr Caspar BOWDEN (Independent Privacy Researcher) Introduction by Prof. Didier BIGO (King’s College London / Director of the Centre d’Etudes sur les Conflits, Liberté et Sécurité – CCLS, Paris, France). Copy-Editing: Dr. Amandine SCHERRER (Centre d’Etudes sur les Conflits, Liberté et Sécurité – CCLS, Paris, France) Bibliographical assistance : Wendy Grossman RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR Mr Alessandro DAVOLI Policy Department Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs European Parliament B-1047 Brussels E-mail: [email protected] LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN ABOUT THE EDITOR To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to its monthly newsletter please write to: [email protected] Manuscript completed in MMMMM 200X. Brussels, © European Parliament, 200X. This document is available on the Internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/studies DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.
    [Show full text]
  • Team Leader/Assistant Team Leaders - Production
    Team Leader/Assistant Team Leaders - Production Job Title: TEAM LEADER/ASSISTANT TEAM LEADERS-PRODUCTION Department: Manufacturing Location: Mt. Pleasant, MI America Mitsuba a 27 year old Automotive parts manufacturer located in Mt. Pleasant Michigan is in need of highly skilled candidates to fill open 2nd and 3rd shift assembly line leadership positions. American Mitsuba is looking for motivated individuals who wish to work in an exceptionally clean, climate controlled environment. Candidates must be willing to work overtime, be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen and written skills test. Starting wage is $17.52/$16.27 hourly. This does not include the .65 shift premium. American Mitsuba offers a competitive benefit package including: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k, EAP, Short term and Long Term Disability and Life Insurance. Required experience: supervision and manufacturing: 1 year Summary: Leads, facilitates and oversees the work activities of groups of Production Associates; supports both the Production Associates and the VSL or Supervisor in daily activities; sets priorities and leads by good example. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Maintains consistent and efficient flow of daily production; produces quality products to meet daily schedules as issued by Production Planner; assures that proper packaging and labeling procedures are followed. Maintains proper operation of line equipment and machinery by making adjustments and repairs; notifies Supervisor, Maintenance and/or Engineering Associates of major repair or process problems. Assures that line is stocked with proper parts, components and/or supplies in the quantities needed to meet the daily production requirements. Repairs line rejects, properly marking parts and documentation of rejects; assists QA in evaluating customer returns and identifying causes and counter-measures.
    [Show full text]
  • Submission Number: 145 Date Received: 15/7/2012
    Submission to the inquiry of the Standing Committee on Education and Employment into Workplace Bullying 14/07/2012 Dear Committee Secretary, I wanted to take the time to share my thoughts on this matter with the Committee, as I have had a number of recent and painful experiences of workplace bullying in my own workplace. This conduct, which has occurred over a period of more than two and a half years, has affected- and continues to affect- the health of a number of individuals employed in that workplace. My experience For more than two and a half years I worked for a large state public sector entity. The business unit in which I was situated had a number of law enforcement and regulatory functions which necessitated ongoing contact with business owners and professional bodies. Unfortunately, this unit was very poorly managed from its earliest days in operation. Staff members were not given adequate training in the functions they were expected to perform, no written operational guidelines or policies were put in place to guide staff in the exercise of their duties and there were not enough support staff employed to properly manage the administrative and record-keeping functions of the unit. Within a few months of the establishment of this business unit a workplace culture had developed which can only be described as toxic. A small number of individuals in supervisory positions became involved in systematic bullying of staff members who, in most cases, were reluctant to report the behaviour due to fear of reprisals or damage to their careers.
    [Show full text]