OSC Launches Website on Pending Whistleblower Cases
In August 2024, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) proposed new policies designed to boost transparency and speed of whistleblower investigations.
Now we’re seeing those policies in action.
OSC launched a new webpage that will publicly show for the first time, the number of open whistleblower disclosure investigations.
The website shows cases by agency that have been referred to OSC for investigation with a few conditions.
Such cases must be where the Special Counsel has found a “substantial likelihood” of misconduct and the agency has not provided a report of its findings within the 60-day response period established by Congress.
“Agency heads are expected by Congress to issue findings within 60 days after receiving a referral from OSC. But too often investigations are taking years to complete," said Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger. “Americans have a right to know which agencies are investigating serious allegations and be assured the reviews are happening in the timely way Congress intended. Providing data on open whistleblower investigations is a practical step in our efforts to make more information public about OSC's work."
Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lead the way with eight pending cases.
The page will be updated weekly.
In that transparency proposal, OSC also proposed publicly posting whistleblower retaliation or other prohibited personnel practices, when an agency is not timely or reasonable in responding to the injured employee. In that case, OSC “would say something quickly and publicly whenever the wronged worker agrees.”
The proposal was welcome by federal watchdog groups.
“The Special Counsel has made an impressive start at restoring confidence in an agency that, fairly or unfairly, often has been a magnet for cynicism, and good governance groups and whistleblower advocates encourage him to continue this path forward,” stated the Government Accountability Project, which advocates for whistleblowers.