- Date:
- 20 Nov 2013
- By:
- Jens Harkov
The Danish Government recently decided to set up a committee to consider the scope of public-sector employees' freedom of speech and the need to implement whistleblowing schemes
The Danish Government recently decided to set up a committee to consider the scope of public-sector employees’ freedom of speech and the need to implement whistleblowing schemes.
The scope of freedom of speech for public-sector employees continues to be the subject of debate – in theory as well as in practice, and particularly in the context of employment and labour law. Back in 2004, the Danish Ministry of Justice set up a committee, which issued its report on public-sector employees’ freedom of speech in April 2006. The conclusion of the report was that, at the time, there was no need for statutory regulation of the area.
The Danish Government has now decided to set up a new committee to account for developments since then, using the report from 2006 as its basis. The committee is to consider how to bolster public-sector employees’ freedom of speech. During this process, the committee will have, among other things, to address the need for additional statutory regulation in the area.
In addition, the committee is to account for the use of and the experience gained from whistleblowing schemes in public administration, including the advantages and disadvantages involved in such schemes. The committee will then consider whether any guidelines should be issued in relation to the structure of whistleblowing policies in public administration.
The work of the committee is expected to be completed in the autumn of 2014. Norrbom Vinding will be following the process since any statutory initiatives may be expected to affect public employers in particular.
