Michael Clifford: Questions around laws designed to protect

The case of a prison officer who made a protected disclosure lends itself to the question of whether related legislation provides enough protections, writes Michael Clifford.

The Protected Disclosure Act 2014 was to herald a new era, where employees, in particular, could point out malpractice without fear of reprisal. The Act is designed to provide protections, hence the name.

How robust those protections are remains to be seen. For instance, how easy is it to identify whether or not a whistleblower has been subjected to some form of reprisal?