Logo Federal Ministry of JusticeLogo Federal Office of Justice

Act for the Better Protection of Whistleblowers
(Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz – HinSchG)

Full text in format:   HTML  PDF   text in German

Übersetzung durch den Sprachendienst des Bundesministeriums der Justiz

Translation provided by the Language Service of the Federal Ministry of Justice

Stand: Die Übersetzung berücksichtigt die Änderung(en) des Gesetzes durch Artikel 16 des Gesetzes vom 27. Dezember 2024 (BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 438)
Der Stand der deutschsprachigen Dokumentation kann aktueller sein. Vergleichen Sie dazu bitte http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hinschg/BJNR08C0B0023.html.

Version information: The translation includes the amendment(s) to the Act by Article 16 of the Act of 27 December 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I, no. 438)
Translations may not be updated at the same time as the German legal provisions displayed on this website. To compare with the current status of the German version, see http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/hinschg/BJNR08C0B0023.html.

Zur Nutzung dieser Übersetzung lesen Sie bitte den Hinweis unter "Translations".

For conditions governing use of this translation, please see the information provided under "Translations".

           
Division 1
General Provisions
Section 1Purpose and personal scope
Section 2Material scope
Section 3Definitions
Section 4Relationship with other provisions
Section 5Precedence of security interests and secrecy obligations
Section 6Relationship with other secrecy obligations
Division 2
Reports
Subdivision 1
Principles
Section 7Right to choose between internal and external reporting
Section 8Duty of confidentiality
Section 9Exceptions from the duty of confidentiality
Section 10Processing of personal data
Section 11Record keeping of the reports
Subdivision 2
Internal Reports
Section 12Obligation to establish an internal reporting office
Section 13Tasks of internal reporting offices
Section 14Organisational forms of internal reporting offices
Section 15Independence; necessary expertise
Section 16Reporting channels for internal reporting offices
Section 17Procedures for internal reporting
Section 18Follow-up by internal reporting offices
Subdivision 3
External Reporting Offices
Section 19Establishment and remit of the Federal External Reporting Office
Section 20Establishment and remit of external reporting offices of the Länder
Section 21The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority as an external reporting office
Section 22The Bundeskartellamt as an external reporting office
Section 23Additional external reporting offices
Section 24Tasks of external reporting offices
Section 25Independence; training
Section 26Reporting obligations of external reporting offices
Subdivision 4
External Reports
Section 27Reporting channels for external reporting offices
Section 28Procedures for external reporting
Section 29Follow-up by external reporting offices
Section 30Cooperation with other public bodies
Section 31Closure of the procedure
Division 3
Public Disclosures
Section 32Public disclosures
Division 4
Protection Measures
Section 33Conditions for protection of reporting persons
Section 34Other protected persons
Section 35Exclusion of liability
Section 36Prohibition of retaliation; reversal of burden of proof
Section 37Compensation for damages in the event of retaliation
Section 38Compensation for damages in the event of false reports
Section 39Prohibition of deviating agreements
Division 5
Sanctions
Section 40Provisions on regulatory fines
Division 6
Concluding Provisions
Section 41Authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 42Transitional provision