Disclosure Procedures

Disclosure procedures means any disclosure procedures for a public entity established by a chief executive. A chief executive may establish procedures to manage disclosures by employees of the public entity for which the chief executive is responsible.

Procedures to manage disclosures

If disclosure procedures are established, they must include:

• a designation of a senior official to be the designated officer to receive and deal with disclosures by employees of the public entity;
• procedures for receiving and reviewing disclosures;
• procedures for investigating disclosures that ensure that the right to natural justice and procedural fairness of all individuals involved in an investigation is respected, including individuals making disclosures, witnesses and individuals alleged to be responsible for wrongdoings;
• procedures respecting the confidentiality of information collected in relation to disclosures and investigations;
• subject to any other Act and the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness, procedures for protecting the identity of individuals involved in the disclosure process;
• procedures for reporting outcomes of investigations; and
• procedures respecting any other matter prescribed in the regulations.

Referral of disclosure

A disclosure made by an employee to a supervisor or a designated officer, may be referred by the chief executive of the public entity to another public entity, with notice to the employee, if the matter would more appropriately be dealt with by that other public entity.

Input from the PIDC

If a chief executive intends to establish disclosure procedures or amend existing disclosure procedures, the chief executive must provide a copy of the proposed disclosure procedures or the proposed amendments to the Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner (PIDC) for comment prior to establishing the procedures or amending them.

Upon establishing disclosure procedures or amending existing disclosure procedures, the chief executive must provide a copy of the disclosure procedures or the amended disclosure procedures to the PIDC.

Information about Act to be communicated

A chief executive must ensure if any disclosure procedures are established, those disclosure procedures, are widely communicated to the employees of the public entity for which the chief executive is responsible.