You spot your company doing something illegal. You document the problem and take it to your manager and Human Resources department and they should support you, protect you and make sure the problem is fixed. But sometimes they don’t. Here’s why.
Why Do Companies Punish Whistleblowers?
Heh.
I was terminated (for "performance reasons")by one airline for being one of several people that reported to maintenance management that we had a major, recurrent maintenance violation going on that could cost us a Boeing-767 and 200+ lives. When management refused to do anything about it and continuted to falsify records, we notifed the FAA. We were all canned over a one month period shortly thereafter.
Luckily, the airline didn't kill anyone and the company went into Chapter 7 about a year later. It was only luck that saved the people that flew on that particular airplane for several long-range round trips across the ocean.
I decided long ago that I would never do anything at work that would risk lives, because I have to look myself in the eye every morning as I shave.
I'm about a decade older now and out of the airlines. I can only hope I would have the guts to do that again if I had to, because we all know how hard it is to find a job in your 50's…
The people that fired us? Oh, they all have high-level management jobs with other carriers now. God help those carrier's passengers and crews.