Worker News
Weekly (10/7/19)
This week's contents:
Topic of the Week Whistleblowing - Federal Employees
- What is whistleblowing?
- As a federal employee whistleblower, how does the law protect me?
- How do I "blow the whistle?"
What is whistleblowing?
Whistleblowing is a common term that refers to an employee or contractor alerting authorities that their employer is engaged in some type of illegal or prohibited activity. Activities associated with whistleblowing often include:
- A violation of law, rule, or regulation,
- Gross mismanagement,
- A gross waste of funds
- An abuse of authority, or
- A substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
Before blowing the whistle, you should have a reasonable belief that your disclosure is accurate. You should never proceed with a complaint based merely on suspicion or office gossip. It is important to check your facts carefully before initiating a complaint process.
It is not easy to go against management by reporting something you believe is wrong to those who hopefully can do something about it. It is however, good to know that if you do, the law usually provides protection for you - even if it turns out your concerns were unfounded.
As a federal employee whistleblower, how does the law protect me?
When an agency official takes, threatens to take, or fails to take a negative personnel action against you because of your whistleblowing activity, that is an illegal form of retaliation or reprisal. Congress was concerned enough about protecting those who blow the whistle on abuse in the government that it passed the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (WPA) , which prohibits retaliation against a whistleblower. More recently, Congress passed the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012 (WPEA) which extended the protections of whistleblowing to TSA employees, strengthened the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), and closed some of the court created loopholes from the WPA.
The WPA applies only when a personnel action is taken against you at least in part because of your protected disclosure. As long as the protected disclosure was "a contributing factor" in the personnel action taken against you, the retaliation need not be the sole or major motivation for the action.
If you work for the Postal Service or one of the other agencies which are not specifically covered by prohibited personnel practices law or the Whistleblower Protection Act or the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, you should consult with an attorney, union representative, or labor relations expert to learn more about bringing your case.
How do I "blow the whistle?"
There are three common ways for federal employees to blow the whistle:
- Report to a supervisor
- Contact the Inspector General - IG
- Contact the Office of Special Counsel
Weekly: Archive
Select a date from the list below.
- December 28, 2020
- December 14, 2020
- December 7, 2020
- November 23, 2020
- November 16, 2020
- November 9, 2020
- November 2, 2020
- October 26, 2020
- October 12, 2020
- October 5, 2020
- September 28, 2020
- September 21, 2020
- September 14, 2020
- September 7, 2020
- August 31, 2020
- August 24, 2020
- August 17, 2020
- August 10, 2020
- July 27, 2020
- July 20, 2020
- July 13, 2020
- July 6, 2020
- June 22, 2020
- June 15, 2020
- June 1, 2020
- May 25, 2020
- May 18, 2020
- May 11, 2020
- May 4, 2020
- April 27, 2020
- April 20, 2020
- April 13, 2020
- April 6, 2020
- March 30, 2020
- March 23, 2020
- March 16, 2020
- March 9, 2020
- March 2, 2020
- February 24, 2020
- February 17, 2020
- February 10, 2020
- February 3, 2020
- January 27, 2020
- January 20, 2020
- January 13, 2020
- December 23, 2019
- December 16, 2019
- December 9, 2019
- December 2, 2019
- November 25, 2019
- November 18, 2019
- November 11, 2019
- November 4, 2019
- October 28, 2019
- October 7, 2019
- September 30, 2019
- September 16, 2019
- September 2, 2019
- August 26, 2019
- July 29, 2019
- July 15, 2019
- June 17, 2019
- June 10, 2019
- May 6, 2019
- April 29, 2019
- April 22, 2019
- April 15, 2019
- April 8, 2019
- March 25, 2019
- March 11, 2019
- March 4, 2019
- February 25, 2019
- February 18, 2019
- February 11, 2019
- January 28, 2019
- January 21, 2019
- January 14, 2019
- December 17, 2018
- December 3, 2018
- November 26, 2018
- November 5, 2018
- October 29, 2018
- October 15, 2018
- October 8, 2018
- October 1, 2018
- September 24, 2018
- September 10, 2018
- September 3, 2018
- August 29, 2018
- August 6, 2018
- July 23, 2018
- June 25, 2018
- June 18, 2018
- June 11, 2018
- June 4, 2018
- May 28, 2018
- May 21, 2018
- May 7, 2018
- April 30, 2018
- April 23, 2018
- April 16, 2018
- April 9, 2018
- April 2, 2018
- March 26, 2018
- March 19, 2018
- March 12, 2018
- February 26, 2018
- February 5, 2018
- January 29, 2018
- January 22, 2018
- January 8, 2018
- January 1, 2018
- December 18, 2017
- December 11, 2017
- December 4, 2017
- November 27, 2017
- November 13, 2017
- November 6, 2017
- October 30, 2017
- October 23, 2017
- October 16, 2017
- October 9, 2017
- October 2, 2017
- September 25, 2017
- September 18, 2017
- September 11, 2017
- September 4, 2017
- August 28, 2017
- August 21, 2017
- August 14, 2017
- August 7, 2017
- July 31, 2017
- July 24, 2017
- July 17, 2017
- July 3, 2017
- June 26, 2017
- June 12, 2017
- June 5, 2017
- May 29, 2017
- May 22, 2017
- May 15, 2017
- May 8, 2017
- May 1, 2017
- April 24, 2017
- April 19, 2017
- April 10, 2017
- April 3, 2017
- March 20, 2017
- March 13, 2017
- March 6, 2017
- February 27, 2017
- February 20, 2017
- February 13, 2017
- February 6, 2017
- January 30, 2017
- January 23, 2017
- January 16, 2017
- January 9, 2017
- January 2, 2017
- December 19, 2016
- December 12, 2016
- December 5, 2016
- November 21, 2016
- November 14, 2016
- November 7, 2016
- October 31, 2016
- October 24, 2016
- October 17, 2016
- October 10, 2016
- October 3, 2016
- September 26, 2016
- September 19, 2016
- September 12, 2016
- September 5, 2016
- August 29, 2016
- August 22, 2016
- August 15, 2016
- August 8, 2016
- August 1, 2016
- July 25, 2016
- July 18, 2016
- July 11, 2016
- July 4, 2016
- June 27, 2016
- June 20, 2016
- June 13, 2016
- June 6, 2016
- May 30, 2016
- May 23, 2016
- May 16, 2016
- May 9, 2016
- May 2, 2016
- April 25, 2016
- April 18, 2016
- April 11, 2016
- April 4, 2016
- March 28, 2016
- March 21, 2016
- March 14, 2016
- March 7, 2016
- February 29, 2016
- February 22, 2016
- February 15, 2016
- February 8, 2016
- February 1, 2016
- January 25, 2016
- January 18, 2016
- January 11, 2016
- January 4, 2016
- December 21, 2015
- December 14, 2015
- December 7, 2015
- November 30, 2015
- November 23, 2015
- November 16, 2015
- November 9, 2015
- November 2, 2015
- October 26, 2015
- October 19, 2015
- October 12, 2015
- October 5, 2015
- September 28, 2015
- September 21, 2015
- September 14, 2015
- September 7, 2015
- August 31, 2015
- August 24, 2015
- August 17, 2015
- August 10, 2015
- August 3, 2015
- July 27, 2015
- July 20, 2015
- July 13, 2015
- July 6, 2015
- June 29, 2015
- June 22, 2015
- June 15, 2015
- June 8, 2015
- June 1, 2015
- May 25, 2015
- May 18, 2015
- May 11, 2015
- May 4, 2015
- April 27, 2015
- April 20, 2015
- April 13, 2015
- April 6, 2015
- March 30, 2015
- March 23, 2015
- March 16, 2015
- March 9, 2015
- March 2, 2015
- February 23, 2015
- February 16, 2015
- February 9, 2015
- February 2, 2015
- January 26, 2015
- January 19, 2015
- January 12, 2015
- January 5, 2015
- December 29, 2014
- December 15, 2014
- December 8, 2014
- December 1, 2014
- November 7, 2014
- October 15, 2014
- October 8, 2014
- October 1, 2014
- September 24, 2014
- September 17, 2014
- September 11, 2014
- September 3, 2014
- August 19, 2014
- July 14, 2014
- June 24, 2014
- June 9, 2014
- May 26, 2014
- May 19, 2014
- May 5, 2014
- April 27, 2014
- April 14, 2014
- April 8, 2014
- April 2, 2014
- March 24, 2014
- March 18, 2014
- March 10, 2014
- March 3, 2014
- February 24, 2014
- February 17, 2014
- February 3, 2014
- January 27, 2014
- January 20, 2014
- December 30, 2013
- December 11, 2013
- December 4, 2013
- November 20, 2013
- November 12, 2013
- October 30, 2013
- October 21, 2013
- October 8, 2013
- October 1, 2013
- September 23, 2013
- September 20, 2013
- September 9, 2013
- September 4, 2013
- August 27, 2013
- August 19, 2013
- August 12, 2013
- August 5, 2013
- July 30, 2013
- July 22, 2013
- July 8, 2013
- July 1, 2013
- June 24, 2013
- June 17, 2013
- June 10, 2013
- June 3, 2013
- May 20, 2013
- May 13, 2013
- May 6, 2013
- April 29, 2013
- April 23, 2013
- April 16, 2013
- April 15, 2013
- April 8, 2013
- April 1, 2013
- March 26, 2013
- March 18, 2013
- March 12, 2013
- March 5, 2013
- February 25, 2013
- February 19, 2013
- February 4, 2013
- January 28, 2013
- January 22, 2013
- January 14, 2013
- January 7, 2013
- January 2, 2013
- December 24, 2012
- December 17, 2012
- December 10, 2012
- December 3, 2012
- November 26, 2012
- November 19, 2012
- October 29, 2012
- October 22, 2012
- October 15, 2012
- October 8, 2012
- October 1, 2012
- September 24, 2012
- September 17, 2012
- September 10, 2012
- September 4, 2012
- August 27, 2012
- August 20, 2012
- August 14, 2012
- August 6, 2012
- July 30, 2012
- July 23, 2012
- July 9, 2012
- June 19, 2012
- June 11, 2012
- June 4, 2012
- May 29, 2012
- May 21, 2012
- May 8, 2012
- April 30, 2012
- April 23, 2012
- April 16, 2012
- April 2, 2012
- March 27, 2012
- March 19, 2012
- March 13, 2012
- March 6, 2012
- February 14, 2012
- February 6, 2012
- January 30, 2012
- January 17, 2012
- January 9, 2012
- January 3, 2012
- December 27, 2011
- December 12, 2011
- November 27, 2011
- November 20, 2011
- November 13, 2011
- November 7, 2011
- October 24, 2011
- October 17, 2011
- October 10, 2011
- October 3, 2011
- September 26, 2011
- September 12, 2011
- September 5, 2011
- August 29, 2011
- August 1, 2011
- July 11, 2011
- July 4, 2011
- June 27, 2011
- June 20, 2011
- May 23, 2011
- May 9, 2011
- April 26, 2011
- April 18, 2011
- April 14, 2011
- April 5, 2011
- March 28, 2011
- March 21, 2011
- March 7, 2011
- February 28, 2011
- February 21, 2011
- February 15, 2011
- February 7, 2011
- January 24, 2011
- January 3, 2011
- December 20, 2010
- December 13, 2010
- December 6, 2010
- November 21, 2010
- November 14, 2010
- November 8, 2010
- November 1, 2010
- October 18, 2010
- October 4, 2010
- September 27, 2010
- September 20, 2010
- September 6, 2010
- August 30, 2010
- August 16, 2010
- August 9, 2010
- August 2, 2010
- July 26, 2010
- July 19, 2010
- July 12, 2010
- June 28, 2010
- June 21, 2010
- June 14, 2010
- June 7, 2010
- May 31, 2010
- May 24, 2010
- May 17, 2010
- May 10, 2010
- May 3, 2010
- April 26, 2010
- April 19, 2010
- April 12, 2010
- April 5, 2010
- March 29, 2010
- March 22, 2010
- March 15, 2010
- March 8, 2010
- March 1, 2010
- February 22, 2010
- February 14, 2010
- February 8, 2010
- February 1, 2010
- January 25, 2010
- January 18, 2010
- January 11, 2010
- January 4, 2010
- December 28, 2009
- December 21, 2009
- December 14, 2009
- December 7, 2009
- November 30, 2009
- November 22, 2009
- November 15, 2009
- November 8, 2009
- November 1, 2009
- October 26, 2009
- October 12, 2009
- October 5, 2009
- September 28, 2009
- September 21, 2009
- September 14, 2009
- September 6, 2009
- August 31, 2009
- August 17, 2009
- August 10, 2009
- August 3, 2009
- July 27, 2009
- July 20, 2009
- July 13, 2009
- July 6, 2009
- June 29, 2009
- June 22, 2009
- June 15, 2009
- June 8, 2009
- June 1, 2009
- May 25, 2009
- May 18, 2009
- May 8, 2009
- April 27, 2009
- April 20, 2009
- April 13, 2009
- April 6, 2009
- March 30, 2009
- March 23, 2009
- March 16, 2009
- March 8, 2009
- March 2, 2009
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