U.S. OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL PROVIDES TRAINING AID FOR AGENCIES
DESIGNED TO PREVENT PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 8/2/99
CONTACT: JANE MCFARLAND
(202) 653-7984      

    Special Counsel Elaine Kaplan of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) today announced the creation of a new computer-based training program designed to close a major gap in the education of federal employees regarding their rights and responsibilities under the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA). In 1994, when the Congress reauthorized the OSC, it statutorily required all federal agencies to advise their employees of their WPA rights in consultation with OSC. Kaplan said, “It appears that many federal agencies have failed to implement this key statutory responsibility in a systemic fashion.” She noted that “this training program will provide a new mechanism for agencies to fulfill their responsibility.” 

    The training program can be downloaded from the OSC web page located at www.osc.gov. It is currently featured on the ticker tape or can be found under the forms and publications category of the web page. The program provides an overview of the role of the Office of Special Counsel: including the procedures for investigating and prosecuting prohibited personnel practices, receiving whistleblower disclosures and enforcing the Hatch Act. The program also provides a substantive analysis of the laws and remedies that OSC enforces. 

    Ms. Kaplan stated that she “strongly believes in workforce educational efforts.” She observed that, “Today, when new employees enter the workforce, they are usually given a packet of material that tells them about government ethics laws, the Family and Medical Leave Act and other employment matters, but I’ve yet in my experience to meet a government employee who received a packet of information regarding their rights under WPA.” Kaplan said, “appropriate training helps the federal government operate more efficiently by ensuring that employees are focusing their energies on the mission of their agencies.” 

    OSC will work with advocacy groups, employee unions and associations and management personnel specialists on how to use the training program most effectively. If you are interested in more information on the program, please contact Debbie Billet-Roumell, Outreach Specialist at OSC, at dbillet@osc.gov. 

    OSC is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency. Under the Civil Service Reform Act and the Whistleblower Protection Act, the OSC’s primary mission is to safeguard the merit system by protecting federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal for whistleblowing. 

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