The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 was signed into law on November 27, 2012. The Act strengthens protection for Federal employees who blow the whistle on waste, fraud, and abuse in Government operations.
Whistleblower disclosures can save lives as well as billions of taxpayer dollars. They play a critical role in keeping our Government honest, efficient, and accountable. Recognizing that whistleblowers root out waste, fraud, and abuse, and protect public health and safety, federal laws strongly encourage employees to disclose wrongdoing. Federal laws also protect whistleblowers from retaliation.
The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 directs Inspectors General to designate a Whistleblower Protection Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s role is to educate agency employees about prohibitions on retaliation for protected disclosures, and educate agency employees who have made or are contemplating making a protected disclosure about the rights and remedies against retaliation for protected disclosures. The Ombudsman is prohibited from acting as an employee’s or former employee’s legal representative, agent, or advocate.
USDA employees may contact the USDA Whistleblower Protection Coordinator at OIGWPC@oig.usda.gov. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs created a report summarizing the changes made to the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act by the Whistleblower Protection Coordination Act.
OSC Introduces New Video Series
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) recently unveiled a new series of videos aimed at educating federal agencies and non-federal organizations on prohibited personnel practices, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, the Hatch Act, whistleblower disclosures, and alternative dispute resolution.
March 2023 OSC Video on Introduction to Prohibited Personnel Practices
Resources
- Federal Whistleblower Protection Frequently Asked Questions
- MSPB - Blowing The Whistle: Barriers to Federal Employees Making Disclosures (pdf)
- Otherwise Appealable Actions/Individual Right of Action and Associated Timeframes
- Section 1097 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (pdf)
- Whistleblowing Works: How Inspectors General Respond to and Protect Whistleblowers (pdf)
- The OIG Hotline Process & Whistleblower Rights and Protections (pptx)
- March 2023 OSC Video on Introduction to Prohibited Personnel Practices
- The Hatch Act and Federal Employees (pdf)
- Whistleblower Retaliation (pdf)
- Whistleblowing (pdf)
- Prohibited Personnel Practices (pdf)
- Know Your Rights When Reporting Wrongs (pdf)
- Your Rights as a Federal Employee (pdf)
- OSC Memo on Updated Legal Requirements Regarding Agency Training and Discipline (pdf)
- OSC Memo on Agency Monitoring Policies and Whistleblower Disclosures (pdf)
- 2022 Annual Training for Supervisors Responding to Employees Alleging Violations of Whistleblower (video)
- Making a Disclosure Involving Classified Information (pptx)
- Presidential Policy Directive/PPD-19 (pdf)
- Receive Information About Non-Disclosure Agreement
- 41 USC 4712 Whistleblower Protections for Contractor Employees (pdf)
- NDAA Whistleblower Protection for Contractors Poster (pdf)
- NDAA Intake Form (pdf)
- U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board
- U.S. Office of Special Counsel