LANSING – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in a response to the Flint water crisis and more recent concerns about drinking water quality, signed an executive directive Wednesday requiring state employees to immediately report to their bosses any threat to public health or safety.

The directive requires department directors to immediately investigate whether the concern is a valid one and take further actions to mitigate or eliminate the threat if they determine it is valid. That includes reporting the threat to the state's chief compliance officer if agency officials don't have the resources to address it on their own.

"This executive directive will ensure that our government works for the people of our state," Whitmer said.

The directive goes further than a letter former Gov. Rick Snyder sent state employees in 2016, near the height of the Flint drinking water crisis, but it doesn't set out penalties for violations.

Asked what would happen to employees who didn't report a threat or directors who didn't respond appropriately, Whitmer referred the question to chief compliance officer Corina Pena Andorfer. She said her office would be working on processes to respond to such situations, but they are not developed yet.

Whitmer, who was joined for the signing by Department of Environmental Quality Director Liesl Clark and several DEQ employees, said agency directors who don't think a threat is being adequately addressed should communicate directly with her.

"It's important to make sure that my first act is to communicate with our state employees who really are on the front line," Whitmer said at a news conference.

She said the directive is not related to any one specific incident but to concerns that include Flint and PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated substances) drinking water contamination.

An executive directive establishes basic internal policies or procedures for the executive branch.

More:Whitmer, state officials sworn into office at Michigan inauguration

More:5 things Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in her inaugural address

Whitmer's executive directive Wednesday goes beyond a letter Snyder sent to state employees in April 2016, in the wake of the Flint drinking water crisis.

Snyder said in the letter that criminal charges filed against what was then two state employees in connection with Flint didn't reflect on them, and he said he wanted concerns about health and safety brought to his desk. But he stopped short of issuing an executive directive.

"I am ... relying on you to raise to the highest levels, including to my desk, any situation that you feel threatens the health or safety of the people of Michigan," Snyder said in the letter. "Together, through our continuing commitment to doing the right thing, we can restore people’s trust in their government."

Ray Holman, legislative liaison for UAW Local 6000, said at the time that Snyder's sentiments were positive, but they did not reflect the realities of a "culture of fear and intimidation" in state government.

"Across the departments, management has made it clear to the rank and file it's either my way or the highway, and if you get out of line with that, you're going to get targeted," Holman said.

Earlier Wednesday, Whitmer sent an email to all state employees, telling them she respects the work they do and wants to improve employee morale.

"During this transition, we heard from far too many state employees across state government about low morale," Whitmer said in the letter.

"Remedying this is one of my top priorities because the work you do is simply too important. I am committed to ensuring you feel valued and respected in your work, and that we as a state are providing you with the support you need to do your jobs effectively and successfully."

Whitmer said she was "ready to roll up my sleeves and work with you to solve problems and build a stronger Michigan for everyone."

Flint's drinking water became contaminated with lead following a switch to the Flint River for its supply in April 2014, while the city was under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager.

The state Department of Environmental Quality has acknowledged a mistake in failing to add corrosion control chemicals as part of the water treatment. The lack of such chemicals caused lead to leach into the water from pipes, joints and fixtures.

Despite almost immediate complaints about the color, odor and taste of the water, the state did not acknowledge a lead contamination problem until Oct. 1, 2015, long after tests showed elevated lead levels in tap water samples and other tests showed a spike in toxic lead levels in the blood of Flint children.

PFAS chemicals have recently emerged as a threat to drinking water supplies across the state. They were once frequently found in a range of products, including stain fighters, waterproofing and nonstick pots and pans. At the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, in northern Michigan, the firefighting foam used on the base from the 1970s until the facility's closure in 1993 contained PFAS chemicals which have contaminated wells, fish and deer. The products have been linked to cancers, reproductive problems and other health issues.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4.