The Government Accountability Project not only represents whistleblowers but it also tries to fix the underlying problems they bring to light.
“We work to represent whistleblowers- employees who have reported wrongdoing that they've witnessed in the workplace [such as] fraud, abusive authority, public health and safety violations and environmental devastation,” said the Director of the American Whistleblower Tour, Dana Gold.
Sherron Watkins knows something about workplace fraud. Watkins was a whistleblower who helped uncover the Enron scandal in 2001.
“When it’s bothering you, you have to speak up but I will say the best thing to do is get away from that company. Speak your piece, speak truth to power but your job is not to fix it, it’s the captain of the ships job to fix it,” said Sherron Watkins.
While Watkins said she received pats on the back for doing what was right the Director of the American Whistleblower Tour said often times that's not the case.
“Tattle tales, snitches, they are disloyal so there’s a lot of baggage associated with the term whistleblowing. It’s a chilling effect in itself people don't want to raise concerns because of that stigma,” said Gold.
Auburn University was the first destination in this year’s American Whistleblower Tour. The tour hopes to educate students who are the next generation of workers.
“We can help create a culture where not only are folks more willing to speak up when they see wrong doing but also that they are supported when they do,” said Gold.
Whistleblower Ken Kendrick said he's still feeling the backlash of speaking out against the Peanut Corporation of America.
“It affects any prospect in getting any future employment, which is a challenge I’m facing, I’ve been told in interviews that I’ve not been giving the job specifically because I am a whistleblower,” said Kendrick.
Kendrick helped show Peanut Corporation of America’s entire business was based upon risking the health of consumers in order to protect profits. A Georgia plant had traces of salmonella tainted peanut butter that not only made folks sick but also caused deaths.
“Now I’m not saying that everybody needs to run and report every little tiny thing that they find but when people’s lives are at stake, when public health is at stake, when the food our children eat are at stake people have to speak up,” said Kendrick.
The Director of the tour said if you plan to become a whistleblower you should seek outside council either from a lawyer or the Government Accountability Project and make sure to document everything.
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