Swiss Senate demands new whistleblower bill
The Senate wants a new attempt to improve the protection of whistleblowers in Switzerland. On Wednesday, it adopted a motion to this effect by Ruedi Noser, member of the Senate of the Radical-Liberal Party in Zurich.
It made the decision on whistleblowing by 35 votes to 2 with 2 abstentions. Specifically, Noser demands the creation of a legal framework to protect whistleblowers in the private sector.
A second of Noser’s demands was only narrowly approved – with a casting vote by Senate Vice-President Eva Herzog. The Senate also wants an increase in the maximum possible fines for companies in the Criminal Code.
+Whistleblowers to get new legal guidelines
In 2019, Switzerland’s House of Representatives knocked down a government proposal to strengthen protections for whistleblowers, drawing strong criticism from civil society groups. At the time, parliamentarians on the left and right criticised the proposal for being too complicated. Some argued that it didn’t go far enough to protect employees from dismissal.
+Better whistleblower protections face resistance in Swiss parliament
Now, the proposal will again be sent to the House of Representatives to decide.
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