A whistleblower, as defined by this policy and the laws of the State of Tennessee, is one who refuses to participate in illegal activities or discloses illegal activities. The whistleblower is not responsible for investigating the activity or for determining fault or corrective measures; appropriate management officials are charged with these responsibilities. Examples of illegal or dishonest activities are violations of federal, state or local laws; billing for services not performed or for goods not delivered; and other fraudulent financial reporting.
If an employee has knowledge of or a concern of illegal or dishonest fraudulent activity, the employee is to contact his or her immediate supervisor or the human resources director. The employee must exercise sound judgment to avoid baseless allegations. An employee who intentionally files a false report of wrongdoing will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.
Whistleblower protection is provided against retaliation. Church Health will not retaliate against a whistleblower. This includes, but is not limited to, protection from retaliation in the form of an adverse employment action such as termination, compensation decreases, or poor work assignments and threats of physical harm. Any whistleblower who believes he or she is being retaliated against must contact the human resources director immediately. The right of a whistleblower for protection against retaliation does not include immunity for any personal wrongdoing that is alleged and investigated.
All reports of illegal and dishonest activities will be promptly submitted to the human resources director who is responsible for investigating and coordinating corrective action.
