Introduction
Whistleblowers often claim that they were dismissed due to their
whistleblowing activities and are therefore entitled to the special
statutory compensation intended to protect whistleblowers.
Without attempting to exhaust all the intricacies of such a
claim, it must be remembered that even if an employee is convinced
that the irregularities cautioned against occurred and is genuinely
displeased by them, he or she must exercise caution as unrestrained
conduct could lead to lawful dismissal.
Facts
In a recent case, an employee in a pizza chain sent his managers
a letter of demand stating that it was being sent before he took
legal action.1 In the letter, the employee warned that
employee entitlements had been breached for many years and that the
breach reflected company policy. Further, the employee demanded
that the company pay him compensation, without substantiating his
demand, adding that he was willing to help other employees in view
of the
