Whistleblower Retaliation Examples in the Federal Workplace
Whistleblower Retaliation Examples in the Federal Workplace Mar 27, 2025 | By Aaron D. Wersing | Read Time: 3 minutes Whistleblower Claims Speaking up against wrongdoing takes courage—especially in the federal workplace. Employees who report misconduct, fraud, or safety violations expect their concerns to be taken seriously. However, some whistleblowers face retaliation from their agencies instead of being applauded for […]
MSPB and Affirmative Defenses: What You Should Know
MSPB and Affirmative Defenses: What You Should Know Feb 19, 2025 | By Aaron D. Wersing | Read Time: 4 minutes MSPB Federal workers facing potential suspension, demotion, or removal often feel like the deck is stacked against them. Fortunately, federal law offers civil servants some key tools for challenging unfair agency actions, including the right to assert an affirmative […]
Is Nepotism Illegal in the Federal Workplace?
The word “nepotism” refers to favorable treatment towards an individual in the workplace because of their familial connection. Few people know what nepotism looks like, and even fewer know about the legality of nepotism in the federal workplace. This is completely understandable, given that nepotism is not as well-known as race or age discrimination. Nonetheless, […]
What Is a Protected Disclosure in a Federal Whistleblower Case?
Under federal whistleblower law, a protected disclosure is a report of wrongdoing or misconduct made by an employee or contractor of the federal government. The disclosure must be made in good faith. In addition, it must concern several specific types of allegations, such as a violation of a law, rule, regulation, or other legal requirement. […]
Whistleblower Protection Laws for Federal Employees
If you have a position with the federal government, you have been entrusted with a high level of responsibility for all of us in this country. Unfortunately, not every government employee or leader honors their obligation to respect the laws and the public with their service. When a colleague or supervisor falls short of their […]
Your Ally in Government: How the OSC Protects Federal Employees
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is a federal agency that focuses on helping whistleblowers. The OSC primarily investigates claims of whistleblower retaliation and, if necessary, takes action against bad actors. Thus, the OSC plays a critical role in protecting whistleblowers and encouraging them to report bad actors. Read on to learn more about […]
What Should Whistleblowers Know Before They Act?
Whistleblowers are underappreciated heroes, and calling out wrongdoing in the federal workplace is a noble action. However, it is not something you should do lightly. Before you do anything, you need to know what a whistleblower is. On top of that, it is vital that you understand your rights as a whistleblower before you act. […]
Protect Your Rights: Your Guide to Filing a Powerful OSC Complaint
We’ll be diving deep into how you can file an OSC complaint under the whistleblower protection act. So, most of us would like to live in a world where whistleblowers are free from retaliation. However, the cold, hard truth is that whistleblowers come under attack all the time because of their efforts to clean up […]
VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017: What Potential Whistleblowers Need to Know
VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017: What Potential Whistleblowers Need to Know Dec 18, 2020 | By Aaron D. Wersing | Read Time: 5 minutes Wrongful Termination For years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has faced criticism over its ability to serve veterans effectively. Reports from the VA’s Inspector General dating back to 2006 note problems […]