Know Your Rights:
Whistleblower Protections for Federal Sector Employees
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) has put together this web resource to help federal sector employees learn more about their whistleblower rights. The information here is just a starting point and is not legal advice. The legal information POGO provides closely follows the statutory language where it exists. Agencies and courts may interpret the law differently and more narrowly than one might assume. For legal advice specific to one's circumstances, seek the services of a qualified and experienced attorney. Blowing the whistle is risky business.
There is a patchwork of legal protections for federal sector employees who blow the whistle. The relevant law depends on where you work in the federal government, and whether you are a government employee, uniformed member of the armed services, or contractor. Knowing what law one falls under matters since the protections vary from law to law from what types of disclosures are protected to where one can legally disclose problems.
This web resource is focused on whistleblower protections for federal sector employees who have made or are considering making disclosures related to their workplace. But there are other legal protections that may be more relevant to a federal sector employee's question about their free speech rights. For instance, the Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment generally protects government and contractor employees from job loss for speech in their capacity as private citizens on matters of public concern. But there are limitations, including an exception for speech made pursuant to official job duties. Again, seek the services of a qualified and experienced attorney for legal advice.
Chillieh 🐧
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