“Serving those who serve in government”
The Department of Justice announced the launch of its Whistleblower Award Program. This program, designed to incentivize the reporting of corporate misconduct, has far-reaching implications for federal employees, offering both opportunities and challenges. Under this...
In a significant ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit established that federal whistleblowers can get compensatory damages if their firings negatively impact their future earning capacities. Deborah Perlick, a federal employee, faced retaliation...
A federal court has ruled that federal employees not promoted after reporting wrongdoing at their agency might be victims of retaliation, even if promotions were never explicitly promised. This landmark decision came from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth...
Whistleblowers play an important role in maintaining transparency and accountability within federal agencies. Yet many fear the threat of potential retaliation if they were to step forward and voice their concerns or provide evidence of wrongdoing within their agency....
Holding a position in the federal government requires a certain level of trust. Civilians trust that federal employees are making the most of their tax dollars, and co-workers trust that their peers are doing their best to serve the government. Sometimes, that trust...
Each federal agency is required to have procedures in place to better ensure federal employees do not suffer from retaliation for reporting wrongful activity. Many agencies also have whistleblower protection programs in place. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is one...
A recent memo from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) got media attention recently when it appeared to violate federal whistleblower protections. The name of the memo is enough to give reason for concern: The Prohibited Disclosure of...
Federal employees are the eyes and ears on the ground, often the first to recognize illegal, wasteful, or fraudulent activities. Providing this group of workers with whistleblower protections is important because it encourages federal workers to report misconduct...
On Jan. 11, 2024, members of the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee voted to subpoena records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that could shed light on the committee’s investigation of shocking allegations of sexual harassment at the highest levels...
In an ideal world, federal employees would never face retaliation for blowing the whistle on wrongdoing in their agency. Ideally, federal employers know that good-faith reports by people in a position to know are fundamental to good government. The reality can be very...