U.S.

OfficeofSpecialCounsel
1730MStreet,N.W.,Suite218
Washington,D.C.200364505

OSCs Enforcement of the Anti-Gag Order Provision in Whistleblower Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Nick Schwellenbach, (202) 254-3631; nschwellenbach@osc.gov

WASHINGTON,D.C./January25,2017

TheU.S.OfficeofSpecialCounsel(OSC)isreleasinginformationonitsenforcementoftheantigagorder
provisionintheWhistleblowerProtectionEnhancementAct(WPEA).TheWPEA,passedunanimouslyinboththe
HouseandSenatein2012,strengthenedantiretaliationprotectionsforfederalworkers.Undertheantigagprovision,
agenciescannotimposenondisclosureagreementsandpoliciesthatfailtoincluderequiredlanguagethatinforms
employeesthattheirstatutoryrighttoblowthewhistlesupersedesthetermsandconditionsofthenondisclosure
agreementorpolicy.(5U.S.C.2302(b)(13)).

WithouttheWPEAsrequiredlanguage,federalemployeesmayerroneouslybelievethatanondisclosure
policy,form,oragreementnullifiestheirwhistleblowerrights.OSCissuedguidancetoagenciesontheantigag
provisioninMarch2013.
Todate,OSChasobtained33correctiveactionsaddressingviolationsoftheantigagprovision.Typically,these
correctiveactionsrequireagencymanagementtorevisetheircommunicationtoemployeestoincludelanguage
explicitlystatingthatemployeeshavetherighttoblowthewhistle.

Someexamples:

AsupervisorintheDepartmentofHomelandSecuritys(DHS)OfficeofProfessionalResponsibility(OPR)
emailedhisstaffanddirectedthemnottocommunicatewithInspectorGeneralauditors,statingthatWeneed
tohaveonevoice.AfterOSCinformedDHSthatthiscommunicationconstitutedanondisclosurepolicyin
violationoftheWPEA,DHSOPRissuedarevisedemailwiththerequiredWPEAlanguage,andclarifyingthat
OPRemployeeshavearighttocommunicatedirectlywiththeInspectorGeneral.

AhighlevelengineerattheEnergyDepartmentsHanfordSitedisclosedthatacontractorsshoddywork
createdasignificantthreattopublichealthandsubstantialcostoverruns.HealsodisclosedinadequateEnergy
Departmentoversightofthatcontractor.DuringOSCsinvestigation,OSClearnedthatemployeesoncertain
projectswerebeingforcedtosignnondisclosureagreements,manyofwhichlackedtherequiredWPEA
language.AfterOSCsintervention,theEnergyDepartmentagreedtocommunicatetherequiredinformation
toallemployeeswhoweresubjecttonondisclosureagreements,providingclearnoticetoemployeesoftheir
righttocontinuetodiscloseevidenceofwaste,fraud,andabuse.Theengineerandotherwhistleblowers
separatelyfiledaFalseClaimActlawsuitagainstseveralEnergyDepartmentcontractors;theJustice
Departmentjoinedtheirlawsuit,andthecontractorssettledfor$125millioninNovember2016.

TwopoliceofficerswiththeFederalEmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA)disclosedallegedmisconductby
asupervisortoaJusticeDepartmentinvestigator.FEMAdisciplinedbothofficersbasedonaFEMAdirective,
whichprohibitedemployeesfromdisclosinginformationrelatedtocertaintypesofmisconducttoany
individualorofficeotherthantheDHSInspectorGeneral.OSCfoundthatthisdirectiveviolatedtheWPEAs
nondisclosureprovision,andFEMAagreedtoreviseit.OSCwasalsoabletoreversetheFEMAsdiscipline
againsttheofficersandprotecttheemployeesfromfurtherretaliation.

OSCprovidestrainingtofederalagenciesontheantigagprovision,aswellasotherprohibitedpersonnel
practices,aspartofitsrequired2302(c)certificationprogram.Forexample,oneprohibitedpersonnelpracticeexplicitly
shieldsemployeesforblowingthewhistleonanyefforttodistort,misrepresent,suppressorotherwisecensorany
governmentresearch,analysis,ortechnicalinformationthattheemployeereasonablybelievescould,amongother

things,poseasubstantialandsignificantthreattopublichealthorsafetyorconstituteaviolationoflaw,rule,or
regulation.(5USC2302(b)(8)).
TheWPEAsantigagprovisionisbasedonanamendmentthatSenatorCharlesGrassley(RIA)hasaddedto
appropriationslawssincethelate1980s.Theamendmentbarsfederalagenciesfromspendingtaxpayerfundsto
implementorenforceanynondisclosureagreementthatdoesnotinformemployeesoftheirrightsandresponsibilities
underthewhistleblowerlaw.
Thefederalgovernmentmustfosteranenvironmentwhereemployeedisclosuresarewelcomed.Thismakes
ourgovernmentworkbetterandprotectstaxpayerdollarsthroughdisclosuresofwaste,fraud,andabuse.
Nondisclosureagreementsandpoliciescanchillwouldbewhistleblowersfromcomingforward.Theseordersmust
clearlystatethatfederalemployeeshavearighttomakedisclosuresofwrongdoing,saidSpecialCounselCarolyn
Lerner.
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TheU.S.OfficeofSpecialCounsel(OSC)isanindependentfederalinvestigativeandprosecutorialagency.Ourbasicauthoritiescomefromfourfederalstatutes:The
CivilServiceReformAct,theWhistleblowerProtectionAct,theHatchAct,andtheUniformedServicesEmployment&ReemploymentRightsAct(USERRA).OSCs
primarymissionistosafeguardthemeritsystembyprotectingfederalemployeesandapplicantsfromprohibitedpersonnelpractices,especiallyreprisalfor
whistleblowing,andtoserveasasafechannelforallegationsofwrongdoing.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitourwebsiteatwww.osc.gov.