Quiet Justice for a Whistleblower: A Lesson in Moving On

We often read about victimized whistleblowers being reinstated to their jobs and compensated for damages. These success stories are due to new and improved whistleblower protection laws being passed all over the world, and the growing expertise of attorneys who fight for the rights of witnesses in the workplace.

These are the public successes. We almost never hear about the private victories of people who wisely decide not to undertake a years-long crusade that could go the other way, and end in career and personal ruin.

Journalists feed off of triumphs and tragedy. The increasingly sensationalistic media has contributed to the portrayal of whistleblowers as heroes or martyrs – and nothing in between. The result is that many people who call our hotline at the European Center for Whistleblower Rights identify with these stereotypes. They see themselves as a hero and even as a martyr. Such aspirations are laden with dangers. And these are among the dangers from which we try shield people who call for assistance.

Earlier this year, a young man called and told us about a potentially hazardous situation in the academic institution where he was working. Well-educated and passionate, the man explained the problem in detail and provided evidence. Though it technically could have been a violation of a regulation, I told him it probably was not serious enough to be investigated, and almost certainly not serious enough for the media to write about.

At that point, my concern shifted to his well-being. He said he was in the midst of advanced studies in a highly specialized academic field. I explained that he operated within a very small universe, and that even though he may have been correct about the problem, he risked losing his stature and thus his future prospects. He risked being blacklisted. He risked self-destruction with little or nothing to gain.

With great compassion and sincerity, I advised him that the best thing would be to put the event behind him. If he was no longer comfortable working at that academic institution, he should consider finding another.

The young man listened. The other day he sent me a message. It shows in real-life terms that not everyone who sees a problem should become a “whistleblower” – and certainly not the kind of whistleblower that journalists feed off.

“So I finally got a postdoc job in [redacted] after so long. Now I have my certificate in [redacted] and I can work in my field,” he wrote. “Thank you for listening to my problem and caring. I really appreciated our conversations and you as a person.”

Along the way, he learned a very real but difficult truth. “I was telling the truth and it’s sad that nobody ever investigated it.”

More importantly, for his own sake and his own future, he learned that the burden could be lifted. He learned how to move on. Today, he has peace of mind.