Reporting Waste and Violations of Law, Regulation, or University Policy (Policy 7030)
University Policy 7030
Download a Printable Version of Policy 7030
Effective Date
February 1995
Last Revision Date
April 2013
Responsible Party
Human Resources and Workforce Strategy, (208) 426-1616
Office of Institutional Compliance and Ethics, (208) 426-1258
Scope and Audience
This policy applies to all University employees or authorized representatives.
Additional Authority
Idaho Code § 6-2104.
1. Policy Purpose
To provide Boise State University employees with the opportunity to report, in good faith, waste and violations of law, regulation, or university policy without fear of adverse action or reprisal.
2. Policy Statement
Boise State employees or their authorized representatives have the right to report waste and actual or suspected violations of law, regulation, or policy.
3. Definitions
3.1 Good Faith
An act is considered to have been in ‘good faith’ if there is a reasonable basis in fact for the communication. Good faith is lacking when the employee knew or reasonably ought to have known the report is malicious, false, or frivolous.
4. Reporting Guidelines
a. When an employee communicates a waste or wrongdoing by Boise State University, the employee must do so in Good Faith. To report waste of funds or violations or law, regulations or policy, an employee or their representative should communicate in writing or verbally with:
- The employee’s department administrator or supervisor or
- The appropriate Vice President, Provost, or President of the university, or
- The Office of Institutional Compliance
b. The employee should communicate at a time and in a manner that gives the university reasonable opportunity to correct the waste or violation.
5. Protection Against Retaliation
Boise State University, or its employees, may not take adverse action or retaliate against an employee for any of the following:
a. The employee or authorized representative’s communication, in good faith, of the existence of any waste of public funds, property or manpower, or a violation or suspected violation of a law, regulation, or university policy. This includes an employee’s reporting of suspected child abuse or maltreatment (including the possible infliction of physical, mental, or sexual abuse) to university personnel or law enforcement.
b. The employee’s participation or giving of information in an investigation, hearing, court proceedings, legislative or other inquiry, or other form of administrative review.
c. The employee’s objection or refusal carry out a directive that the employee reasonably believes violates a law, a rule or a regulation adopted by state, local, or federal government.
d. The employee exercising their right to document the existence of any waste of public funds, property or manpower, and a violation, or suspected violation of laws, regulations or policy in a reasonable way. The university will not unreasonably restrict the employee’s ability to document these things.
6. Right to File a Grievance
Any employee who believes they have been adversely impacted by the university or any of its employees because they communicated about waste of funds, violations, or suspected violations has the right to file a grievance against the offending employee or administrator through normal grievance procedures established for all employee groups.
Revision History
July 1995; April 2013