Risk assessments for anonymous disclosers If an anonymous disclosure is made, it may be difficult for an agency to protect the discloser and other staff from reprisal or workplace conflict. However, a risk assessment should still be conducted where an anonymous disclosure is received, to assess whether the discloser’s identity can be readily ascertained or may become apparent during an investigation. Staff may speculate, correctly or otherwise, about who made the disclosure, and that person may be at risk of reprisal. If the discloser’s identity becomes known, the risk of reprisal may escalate and require prevention or mitigation strategies to be implemented, such as raising the issue with staff, reminding them of the agency’s commitment to the public interest disclosure process and reminding them that reprisal is a criminal offence. Risk assessment framework Agencies may have their own well developed processes for assessing risks. However, the following framework is suggested for consideration. It entails four steps: Identifying – are there reprisals or related workplace conflict problems in the workplace, or do they have the potential to be problems? Assessing – what is the likelihood and consequence of reprisals or related workplace conflict? Controlling – what strategies should be put in place to prevent or contain reprisals or related workplace conflict? Monitoring and reviewing – have the strategies been implemented and were they effective? Identifying risks The agency should develop a list of risk factors that can alert those dealing with the PID, and managers, to problems. Table 1 below includes some indicators of a higher risk of reprisals or workplace conflict. The person doing the risk assessment should clearly define the individual factors affecting the particular discloser/official and the specific workplace when assessing if there are factors that make reprisals or related workplace conflict likely. Table 2 is a risk matrix that lists the types of detriment that might occur in PM&C’s work environment. Assessing risks The person assessing the risk should consider: the likelihood of reprisals or related workplace conflict occurring – this may be high if: there have already been threats there is already conflict in the workplace a combination of circumstances and risk factors indicate reprisals or related workplace conflict are likely. the potential consequences if the risks eventuate, both to the discloser’s immediate and long term wellbeing and the cost to the agency. Controlling risks
Risk assessments for anonymous disclosers If an anonymous disclosure is made, it may be difficult for an agency to protect the discloser and other staff from reprisal or workplace conflict. However, a risk assessment should still be conducted where an anonymous disclosure is received, to assess whether the discloser’s identity can be readily ascertained or may become apparent during an investigation. Staff may speculate, correctly or otherwise, about who made the disclosure, and that person may be at risk of reprisal. If the discloser’s identity becomes known, the risk of reprisal may escalate and require prevention or mitigation strategies to be implemented, such as raising the issue with staff, reminding them of the agency’s commitment to the public interest disclosure process and reminding them that reprisal is a criminal offence. Risk assessment framework Agencies may have their own well developed processes for assessing risks. However, the following framework is suggested for consideration. It entails four steps: Identifying – are there reprisals or related workplace conflict problems in the workplace, or do they have the potential to be problems? Assessing – what is the likelihood and consequence of reprisals or related workplace conflict? Controlling – what strategies should be put in place to prevent or contain reprisals or related workplace conflict? Monitoring and reviewing – have the strategies been implemented and were they effective? Identifying risks The agency should develop a list of risk factors that can alert those dealing with the PID, and managers, to problems. Table 1 below includes some indicators of a higher risk of reprisals or workplace conflict. The person doing the risk assessment should clearly define the individual factors affecting the particular discloser/official and the specific workplace when assessing if there are factors that make reprisals or related workplace conflict likely. Table 2 is a risk matrix that lists the types of detriment that might occur in PM&C’s work environment. Assessing risks The person assessing the risk should consider: the likelihood of reprisals or related workplace conflict occurring – this may be high if: there have already been threats there is already conflict in the workplace a combination of circumstances and risk factors indicate reprisals or related workplace conflict are likely. the potential consequences if the risks eventuate, both to the discloser’s immediate and long term wellbeing and the cost to the agency. Controlling risks
pid-procedures.docx