Aligning with the Public Interest Disclosure Act

The Province of British Columbia has recently expanded the scope of the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA), which protects public sector employees when bringing forward concerns about serious wrongdoing.

PIDA allows whistleblowers to confidentially disclose concerns about issues that affect the public interest to designated officers within their organizations or to the Office of the Ombudsperson.  

The act protects employees who participate in PIDA investigations from reprisals, such as demotion or termination, and ensures employees under investigation are treated fairly. It also fosters transparency by requiring institutions to report the number of disclosures they receive and the results of any investigations they undertake each year. PIDA was first passed in May 2018 in response to the ombudsperson's recommendations. 

The college is developing a policy to establish how: 

• Employees and former employees may seek advice on and make disclosures in good faith about wrongful or unlawful conduct without fear of retaliation or reprisal. 
• The college will manage and investigate disclosures and report the outcomes of investigations to the BC ombudsperson. 
• Employees, contractors and former employees can cooperate with investigations without fear of retaliation or reprisal. 
• The college will protect the privacy of people involved in disclosures, investigations and reports.  

This policy is part of how the college is responding to the expanded scope of the act. In the coming months, we will be refining procedures and offering training to key people involved in the disclosure and investigation processes, including supervisors across the college.  

Please familiarize yourself with the draft policy and provide any feedback by April 30.