– It is known that many whistleblowers discourages others from alert. I believe this is a way to say that the process afterwards is such a great strain that it can hardly be described. For me it’s about values and integrity. I could not allow myself to be a passive spectator when others in my vicinity are subjected to harassment, says Natalia Olsen Nordlys.
Thursday this week she meets to mediation in Oslo District Court after she last defendant state at Labour and Welfare.
Leader not mediation forward, is trial next step.
Colleagues will testify
In the lawsuit requires Olsen compensation for economic losses and redress. Several of her colleagues in the NAV will meet as witnesses if the case ends in court. The same will bear Willumsen, head Fagforbundet in Tromsø.
The reason for the lawsuit is that Olsen believes himself exposed to retaliation from Stein Ruda, county director of NAV Troms, after she in 2012 warned about it she experienced harassment, ostracism and abuse of power in the workplace.
She had worked in NAV since 2007 and gained experience from several different parts of the organization.
– I basically felt that I was warmly greeted by the county council in NAV Troms. I got a lot of praise for their efforts. It took time before I discovered that something happened, says Olsen.
– Excluded from meetings
She claims that she was gradually witnessing what she believes are violations from the county director to her closest leaders . According Olsen they shall have, inter alia been deprived duties and excluded from meetings. The Director shall Kaveness have refused to discuss their decisions beyond saying that he had the right to manage.
– It was challenging to be an employee when your manager is treated as such by his superiors, she said.
Olsen, who has also been room steward NAV, says that she discussed the situation with colleagues.
– I learned that this had persisted over time – for several years, says Olsen.
Alerted Affairs
It ended with her in September 2012 sent a written notice of working problems to NAV central, Labour and Welfare.
Nordlys have accessed deviation message. It states inter alia that the county director leadership style makes “an unsafe on how much one can say without ending up in the cold. Utterance level is very low. “
– Directorate were encouraged to interview employees who were exposed to this, but no one would talk to us. Everything would be done in writing to a contact in the Directorate. Many approached there with their stories. All were afraid to be identified for fear of reprisals, she claims.
Confirms Contact
The Northern Lights have gained access to an email from a senior advisor Gunvor Sverdrup Labour and Welfare. She was the employee’s contact in case.
In the email confirming that she has “received several inquiries from both current and former employees at the county office” in NAV Troms.
The Northern Lights have been in contact with several people who stood for these inquiries. Nobody wants to be interviewed, but confirms contact with the Directorate about their experiences with the working environment in NAV Troms.
In pleadings from Natalia Olsens lawyer Kari Breirem in connection with the lawsuit, referred also to a note sent to the Directorate. According Breirem describes the note “a business with major work environment problems as a consequence of county director leadership style.”
Anonymous deviation message
In Olsens original deviation message she asked anonymity. Yet she claims that she was identified as alerts. Then she must have experienced what she describes as negative reactions – verbal abuse, threats of dismissal and denial of tasks.
Olsen notified this also to Labour and Welfare. According to her, they have asked the county director of the vote, which he declined.
– It dealt directorate to, she says.
Labour and Welfare concluded formal whistleblower case in October 2013 and concluded that there was no breach of the Working Environment Act. In an earlier reply to Olsen in connection with the notification, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate that they do not find reason to doubt the county director statement that the allegations against him, not votes.
On the minister table
Via his lawyer, sent however Olsen case to the Labour and Welfare at the end of 2013. Here it went right to the top, but Minister Robert Eriksson (FRP) found no basis to respond to the directorate and management of whistleblowing case.
This is the reason that Olsen has now gone to litigation.
According to the Working Environment Act, employees are entitled to blow the whistle on workplace conditions. It further states that retaliation against employees who alerts, breaches of the Working Environment Act Section 2-5 and thus illegal.
– As notifies you stand alone. You are small against a large system, says Olsen.
– Got unfortunately right
Olsens lawyer Kari Breirem even experience that alerts Barrel case in 2002. She believes that despite the provisions in the workplace to protect employees who alerts, not real protection for whistleblowers in Norway.
Breirem was also a member of the Ministry’s reference in connection with the provision.
– I thought then that the proposal that was later adopted would not provide sufficient protection for whistleblowers. Unfortunately I did right, she says to Nordlys.
– A primary purpose of the law was to signal that alerts both legal and desirable. The goal is the way I see it, not achieved. More serious conditions one notifications and the higher up in business that happens, the harder it is for the whistleblower. I note that in many businesses are intimidated into silence because employees alerts are subjected to retaliation continues Breirem.
She believes that there is a certain reluctance to address this by politicians.
– There a clear willingness when one is opposition, but they come in position – ie in government offices – it seems that one turns, says Breirem.
Will not comment
Northern Lights have been in contact with a lawyer Elisabeth Stenwig by Attorney. She is counsel for the State, if the lawsuit ends in court. She would not comment on the case and referred to a Labour and Welfare.
Neither here, they want to comment on the matter.
NAV Troms Director Stein Ruda did not want to ask for an interview with Northern Lights in connection with this case.
– I understand that the newspaper would like my comment to these statements, but please understand that I can not comment on a personnel, said Ruda.
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