Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. July 30, 2015. Today, by a unanimous resolution the U.S. Senate declared July 30th as “National Whistleblower Appreciation Day.” The resolution comes on the anniversary of the first ever whistleblower protection law, enacted by the Continental Congress 237 years ago, at the height of the American Revolution.

The Continental Congress’s whistleblower law, enacted on July 30, 1778, read as follows:

“That it is the duty of all persons in the service of the United States, as well as all other inhabitants thereof, to give the earliest information to Congress or any other proper authority of any misconduct, frauds or misdemeanors committed by any persons in the service of these states, which may come to their knowledge.”

“Recognizing our Founding Fathers’ strong support for whistleblower is an essential first step in changing the workplace culture that holds whistleblowers in distain and subjects them to illegal retaliation,” said Stephen M. Kohn, the Executive Director of the National Whistleblower Center.

Links:

National Whistleblower Day website