Policy 220: Whistleblower

220.1 Policy

Pursuant to the legislative intent underlying the enactment of the Idaho Protection of Public Employees Act, College of Eastern Idaho encourages its employees to report any waste, fraud, or abuse of public funds, property, or manpower; or any violation or suspected violation of applicable law.

220.2 Definitions

Adverse Action: to discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against an employee in any manner concerning an employee’s employment, including compensation, and its terms and conditions.

220.3 Procedures

The Idaho Protection of Public Employees Act protects employees from adverse action for:

• reporting in good faith the existence of any waste, fraud or abuse of public funds, property, or manpower or any violation or suspected violation of applicable law.
• participating in or giving information in an investigation, hearing, court proceeding, legislative or other inquiry, or other form of administrative review related to any such report.
• objecting to or refusing to carry out a directive that the employee reasonably believes violates a law, rule, or regulation.

Employees are encouraged to report the existence of any waste, fraud, or abuse of public funds, property, or manpower or any violation or suspected violation of applicable law. Any such report should be made at a time and in a manner which gives CEI a reasonable opportunity to correct the waste, fraud, abuse, or other violation. In most cases, the employee shall report to his/her supervisor. If an employee is not comfortable speaking with his/her supervisor or is not satisfied with his/her supervisor’s response, the employee may report concerns to the Vice President of Human Resources or CEI’s President.

The college will endeavor to maintain the confidentiality of the reporter to the extent possible within the limitations of the law.

Making frivolous, malicious, or knowingly baseless reports is a violation of this policy and will be disciplined up to and including termination.