SOX Whistleblowers Protection

The Boeing Co. fired at least one employee last month for having a conversation with Seattle reporter in July, the employee said. The company told the employee that he was being investigated and was not allowed to discuss allegations against him with any other Boeing employees.

On July 17, the Seattle publication P-I published an investigative report revealing that Boeing had failed to prove that it could protect its computer systems against manipulation, theft and fraud. The problems were found during the course of audits mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Boeing has always maintained that it is compliant with the law and that its financial statements are accurate.

Last month, P-I also received an anonymous e-mail, with a subject line: “Boeing’s hunt for SOX Whistleblowers.”It said: “Computers are being surveilled, audit employees photographed from a distance, their activities video-taped. Multiple suspensions occurring this week. … We’re all under direct threat of firing, lawsuit, and criminal prosecution if we even mention this to each other.” The fired employee worked as an information technology auditor in Boeing’s St. Louis office. He gave the newspaper permission to report on his firing and said Friday that managers began to treat him badly after he raised ethics concerns within the company over how it was conducting its audits.

“Everyone who raises concerns is retaliated against,” the fired employee said. “There’s no way in the world that I expected to lose my job when all I am trying to do is save the company.”

Boeing representative say that the company would focus on fixing problems, not retaliating against employees who raised concerns.

The Whistleblowing employee said he has worked for Boeing for about three years and only recently joined the Sarbanes-Oxley compliance effort. He holds a master’s degree in business administration and has worked in compliance for more than 10 years, he said.

“I don’t know how I’m going to pay my bills; I’m in this all by myself now,” he said. “The last two years out of three I’ve been an ‘exceeds expectations’ employee.”

Immediately following the papers report, some employees said they worried that Boeing would access their personal e-mail accounts.

When asked whether Boeing investigators have read employees’ private e-mails, Boeing representative said, “Our company computing systems are the property of The Boeing Co., and our employees are very aware of their responsibilities in using their systems, and in their use they consent to using those assets properly.”

Whistleblowers

SOX Whistleblowers

Sarbanes Oxley

wrongful termination

boeing whistleblower