Hillside Catholic
Academy
Whistle Blower
Policy
1. Introduction
Hillside Catholic
Academy is committed to complying with state statutory requirements
that provide appropriate protections for its employees who are
whistleblowers. Therefore, Hillside Catholic Academy establishes
this “Whistle blower Policy” pursuant to New Jersey’s
Conscientious Employee Protection Act (N.J.S.A. 34:19-1, et seq.).
II. Purpose
The purpose of the
Whistle blower Policy is to define whistle blowing in the context of
this policy, set forth the steps to be taken by employees making
whistleblower complaints and delineate the steps that shall be taken
by Hillside Catholic Academy to protect employees engaged in whistle
blowing, and to establish a procedure for making whistle blowing
disclosures.
III. Whistleblower
Protection and Definition
In accordance with
New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act, Hillside
Catholic Academy shall take no retaliatory action against an employee
because the employee does any of the following:
A. Discloses, or
threatens to disclose to a supervisor or to a public body an
activity, policy or practice of the employer (or other employer with
whom there is a business relationship), that the employee reasonably
believes:
1. is in violation
of a law, or a rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to law,
including any violation involving deception of, or misrepresentation
to, any person, business or governmental entity, or, in the case of
an employee who is a licensed or certified health care professional,
reasonably believes constitutes improper quality of patient care; or
2. is fraudulent
or criminal, including any activity, policy or practice of deception
or misrepresentation which the employee reasonably believes may
defraud any person, business or governmental entity;
B. Provides
information to, or testifies before, any public body conducting an
investigation, hearing or inquiry into any violation of law, or a
rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to law by the employer (or
other employer with whom there is a business relationship), including
any violation involving deception of, or misrepresentation to, any
person, business or governmental entity, or, in the case of an
employee who is a licensed or certified health care professional,
provides information to, or testifies before, any public body
conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry into the quality of
patient care; or
C. Objects to, or
refuses to participate in any activity, policy or practice which the
employee reasonably believes:
1. is in violation
of a law, or a rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to law,
including any violation involving deception of, or misrepresentation
to, any person, business or governmental entity, or, in the case the
employee is a licensed or certified health care professional,
constitutes improper quality of patient care;
2. is fraudulent
or criminal, including any activity, policy or practice of deception
or misrepresentation which the employee reasonably believes may
defraud any person, business or governmental entity; or
3. is incompatible
with a clear mandate of public policy concerning the public health,
safety or welfare or protection of the environment.
IV. Procedures
for Making Disclosures
A. Except as
otherwise provided for herein, an employee shall make a written
disclosure to his or her supervisor or the person designated to
receive whistleblower complaints. The contact information for the
person designated to receive whistleblower complaints is:
Name: Jennie
Hoek
Address: 397
Columbia Avenue
E-mail:
christthekinghillside@yahoo.com
Telephone
No.:908-686-6740
A written
disclosure should include as much specific, factual information as
possible to allow for proper assessment of the nature, extent, and
urgency of the matter that is the subject of the disclosure.
B. In cases where
the supervisor is contacted by an employee making a disclosure, he or
she shall immediately notify the person designated to receive
whistleblower complaints.
C. A confidential
investigation will be promptly conducted. At the conclusion of the
investigation, appropriate action will be taken where the allegations
are verified and/or otherwise substantiated.
V. Written Notice
Required Under Certain Circumstances
The protection
against retaliatory action shall not apply to an employee who makes a
disclosure to any public body unless the employee has first brought
the matter to the attention of a supervisor or the person designated
to receive whistleblower complaints and has afforded Hillside
Catholic Academy a reasonable opportunity to correct the matter. In
an emergency situation, this requirement of written notice to a
supervisor or person designated to receive whistle blower complaints
shall be waived when the employee is reasonably certain that the
matter is known to one or more supervisors at Hillside Catholic
Academy or when the employee reasonably fears physical harm as a
result of the disclosure.
VI. Distribution
and Posting of Notices
Hillside Catholic
Academy shall post this policy on its web page and include it in any
faculty or employee handbook, if applicable Hillside Catholic Academy
shall also conspicuously display notices of its employees’
protections, obligations, rights and procedures under the
Whistle Blower Act, shall annually distribute written or electronic
notices to all employees, and shall use other appropriate means to
keep its employees informed of protection afforded under New Jersey
to whistleblowers. Each notice posted or distributed pursuant to
this section shall be in English and Spanish. The notices shall
include the name of the person that the Hillside Catholic Academy has
designated to receive written whistle blower notification pursuant to
this policy.
