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Whistleblower Reprisal Action (OSC)Whistleblower Protection ActMany federal employees find themselves in the position of a whistleblower, revealing illegal or wasteful practices by the government only to face retaliation for their honesty. The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has the responsibility to investigate allegations by Federal employees of prohibited personnel practices, especially Whistleblowing activity. OSC has devised a question and answer fact sheet to demonstrate the steps for making a Whistleblower complaint. To learn more about the Whistleblower Protection Act and the Office of Special Counsel, click here. Who is a Whistleblower?Whistleblowing means disclosing information that you reasonably believe is evidence of a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or gross mismanagement, a gross waster of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. What are your rights?It is a prohibited personnel practice for an agency to subject you to a personnel action if the action is threatened, proposed, taken or not taken because of whistleblowing activities. You are protected if you make such a disclosure to the Special Counsel, the Inspector General of an agency, or another employee designated by an agency head to receive such disclosures. You are also protected if you make such a disclosure to any other individual or organization (e.g., a congressional committee or the media), provided that the disclosure is not specifically prohibited by law and the information does not have to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or the conduct of foreign affairs. As a Federal employee, you have the right to appeal certain personnel actions taken against you to the Merit Systems Protection Board. If you are subject to a personnel action that you believe is the result of a prohibited personnel practice, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel and ask the Special Counsel to seek corrective action from the Board. Our Firm is Experienced in Appeals Before the Merit Systems Protection BoardIf you believe you have been retaliated against for whistleblowing activity, we can guide you through the Office of Special Counsel complaint procedures and, if necessary, represent you before the Merit Systems Protection Board. If you are contemplating filing a MSPB appeal or are having difficulty with an existing appeal, contact us today to see how our experienced federal employment law firm can help you obtain the maximum benefits to which you are entitled. |
