The Whistleblower Protection Act: An Overview (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
March 12, 2007 |
| Report Number |
RL33918 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
L. Paige Whitaker, American Law Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
This report discusses the federal statutory protections contained within the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) for federal employees who engage in 'whistleblowing,' that is, making a disclosure evidencing illegal or improper government activities. The protections of the WPA apply to most federal executive branch employees and become applicable where a 'personnel action' is taken 'because of' a 'protected disclosure' made by a 'covered employee.' Generally, whistleblower protections may be raised within four forums or proceedings: (1) employee appeals to the Merit Systems Protection Board of an agencyâs adverse action against an employee, known as 'Chapter 77' appeals; (2) actions instituted by the Office of Special Counsel; (3) individually maintained rights of action before the Merit Systems Protection Board (known as an individual right of action, or IRA); and (4) grievances brought by the employee under negotiated grievance procedures. On March 9, 2007, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reported H.R. 985 (110th Cong.) H.Rept. 110-42, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2007, which would amend the WPA by providing protections for certain national security, government contractor, and science-based agency whistleblowers, and by enhancing the existing whistleblower protections for all federal employees.
