Skip to content.

Secondary navigation

Get Your Demo
A smiling woman sits at a desk in a modern office, with two colleagues, including a man in glasses, slightly blurred in the background. The setting is bright with exposed beams and computer equipment visible.

The Lithuanian Whistleblower Protection Law

Explore the Lithuanian Whistleblower Protection Law, including compliance requirements, scope, and how to support and protect reporting in your organization.

Get your guide to incident management
Abstract image of green and blue light streaks radiating outward toward the viewer, resembling a burst of energy or fiber optic cables, with reflections on a smooth, glossy surface below.

Lithuanian Whistleblower Protection Law overview

Lithuania enacted amendments to the country’s existing whistleblower protection laws in February 2022, to transpose the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive’s requirements into Lithuanian law. The updated law establishes protections for whistleblowers as required by the EU Whistleblower Directive and goes further, expanding the scope to protect reports of breaches of both European Union law and violations of Lithuanian criminal law. 

The new legislation covers all public and private organizations with at least 50 employees, requiring them to establish mechanisms to allow for internal whistleblower reports and to protect whistleblowers. Employers must also appoint a person to investigate whistleblower claims and then follow-up with a report on whether those claims are valid. The law protects whistleblowers and those assisting them from retaliation for submitting a report; and allows them to report their concerns externally to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania.

Man with gray hair sitting at a desk in a home office, looking at his smartphone. Hes surrounded by multiple screens and office supplies, with a lamp and a framed certificate in the background. Natural light filters through a window.

What does the Lithuanian Whistleblower Protection Act cover?

The Act adopts the minimum standards for whistleblower protection outlined in the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive. These requirements include: 

  • A secure and confidential channel for receiving whistleblower reports must be in place. 
  • Acknowledgment of the receipt of every whistleblowing report must be provided to the whistleblower within two days; and a summary of the investigation so far must be provided within 10 days. 
  • An impartial person or department must be appointed to follow up on the reports. 
  • Records must be kept of every report received in compliance with confidentiality requirements. 
  • There must be diligent follow-up of the report by the designated person or department. 
  • Feedback on the follow-up or investigation must be given to the whistleblower within three months of receiving the report. 
  • All processing of personal data must be done in accordance with GDPR.

What are the rules outlined in the Lithuania Whistleblower Protection Act?

Formally known as the Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, and recorded as Law no. XIII-804, the law covers all organizations with at least 50 employees. The law requires all covered businesses to (1) set up a whistleblowing channel with comprehensive whistleblower protection; (2) adopt a policy on reporting legal violations and other misconduct; and (3) designate an internal employee who can receive whistleblower reports.

An elderly couple stands in a kitchen, focused on a laptop. The man with a beard sits and gestures while the woman leans over his shoulder. Both are wearing denim shirts. Pink flowers are visible in the foreground.

Confidentiality, retaliation and disclosures

Organizations with fewer than 250 employees are also allowed to establish a joint whistleblower program in coordination with other small businesses. They are also allowed to outsource management of the hotline system to an independent third party.

A woman in a yellow blouse stands holding a tablet, showing it to a seated man with glasses and a beard in an office with green decor and computers in the background.

Anonymous report intake and management

Technically, Lithuania’s law does not extend whistleblower protections to anonymous reports. That said, a company can receive anonymous reports anyway, and consider the claims in an anonymous report when trying to determine whether a legal or compliance violation has happened. Moreover, if the identity of an anonymous reporter is later revealed, that person can still claim the anti-retaliation protections established under the law. 

The whistleblower protections include confidentiality, a prohibition against retaliation, and no liability for disclosing necessary information to the report. The law also provides whistleblowers the right to legal assistance in submitting their reports.

Two people work together at a desk, looking intently at a computer screen. One person is sitting and using the keyboard, while the other stands nearby, holding a pencil and notepad, appearing focused and engaged in discussion.

What are the risks of non-compliance?

Lithuania’s whistleblower protection law doesn’t prescribe any specific sanctions for companies that fail to establish a whistleblower program, nor any penalties for companies or individuals who retaliate against a whistleblower.

Explore more resources on whistleblowing and regulatory compliance in the EU

Stay ahead of Lithuania’s evolving compliance landscape

Lithuania’s regulatory environment is complex and constantly evolving. Get the insights you need to strengthen your compliance program, reduce risk, and build a culture of transparency.

See our Lithuania Compliance Guide