# Presentation: 026013

## PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES

** ****WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION**

***RIGHTS AND REMEDIES***
*** ******OF FAA EMPLOYEES***
***UNDER 5 U.S.C., CHAPTERS 12 & 23***
***and ***
***FAA PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM***

**As Presented by: AHR**
**Federal Aviation Administration**

## TOPICS5 U.S.C. CHPTRS. 12, 23, 73 and FAA PMS

- 	**U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC)**
**●**
**Prohibited Personnel Practices**
**●**
**Whistleblower Protection**

**Notes:**
NOTES: 

## Authorized to —

Investigate Prohibited Personnel Practices and other activities prohibited by civil service law, rule, or regulation

Seek corrective action on behalf of individuals who are the victims of prohibited personnel practices

Seek disciplinary action against agency officials who commit prohibited personnel practices

**Investigate **_**Prohibited Personnel Practices**_** and other activities prohibited by civil service law, rule, or regulation**
_**Seek corrective action**_** on behalf of individuals who are the victims of prohibited personnel practices**
_**Seek disciplinary action**_** against agency officials who commit prohibited personnel practices**

**OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL (OSC)****5 U.S.C. §§ 1211-19; 5 C.F.R. PART 1800**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## Authorized to —

Provide a safe channel for whistleblower disclosures by current and former federal employees, and applicants for federal employment

Advise on and enforce Hatch Act provisions on political activity applicable to federal, state, and local government employees 

Protect the reemployment rights of federal employee military veterans and reservists under USERRA

**Provide a safe channel for **_**whistleblower disclosures**_** by current and former federal employees, and applicants for federal employment**
**Advise on and enforce **_**Hatch Act**_** provisions on political activity applicable to federal, state, and local government employees **
**Protect the reemployment rights of federal employee military veterans and reservists under **_**USERRA**_

**OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL (OSC)****5 U.S.C. §§ 1211-19; 5 C.F.R. PART 1800**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## RESPONSIBILITIES OF AGENCY OFFICIALS5 U.S.C. § 2302(c) and FAA PMS VIII (b) (i)

_**The head of each Line of Business or Staff Organization**_**, and **_** officials with delegated personnel management authority**_**, are responsible for —**
**Preventing prohibited personnel practices**
**Complying with and enforcing civil service laws, rules, and regulations**
**Ensuring that employees are informed of their rights and remedies (in consultation with OSC)**

## KEY CONCEPTS

_***MERIT SYSTEM PRINCIPLES***_
**	****The framework and foundation for making all personnel decisions in the civil service**
_***PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES***_
**	****Admonitions against specific practices that conflict with Merit Systems Principles**
_***WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES***_
**	****OSC provides a safe channel for disclosures by current and former federal employees and applicants for federal employment**

## PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES:OVERVIEW

**12 PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICES**** — fall under one of five general categories:**
**Discrimination**
**Coerced political activity**
**Hiring practices that offend merit system**
**The catch-all: violation of laws, rules, or regulations that implement merit system principles (including violations of Constitutional rights)**
**Retaliation for engaging in protected activity (including whistleblowing)**

## DISCRIMINATION

**Prohibited personnel practice to discriminate against an employee:**
**Based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, handicapping condition, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or political affiliation**
**Based on “conduct which does not adversely affect the performance of the employee or applicant or the performance of others” **
**   **
**	****	**** *****5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(1) and (b)(10) and***
*** ******FAA PMS VIII (a) (i) and (viii)***

## POLITICAL ACTIVITY

**Prohibited personnel practice to:**
**Coerce the political activity of any person (including providing of any political contribution or service)**
**Take any action against an employee or applicant for employment as a reprisal for the refusal of any person to engage in such political activity **
**	****	**** *****5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(3) and***
***FAA PMS VIII (a) (ii)***

## Obstructing the right to compete

Influencing withdrawal from competition

Unauthorized preferences

Nepotism

Considering improper job references

Knowingly violating Veterans’ Preference

5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(2); (b)(4); (b)(5); (b)(6);(b)(7); (b)(11) and
FAA PMS VIII (a) (iii); (iv); (v)

**Influencing withdrawal from competition**
**Unauthorized preferences**
**Nepotism**
**Considering improper job references**
**Knowingly violating Veterans’ Preference**
***5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(2); (b)(4); (b)(5); (b)(6);(b)(7); (b)(11) and***
***FAA PMS VIII (a) (iii); (iv); (v)***

**HIRING OFFENSES**

## Most Common Violations:

Deceiving or willfully obstructing right to compete for employment — FAA PMS VIII (a) (iii) and 
	5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(4)

Influencing withdrawal from competition in order to improve or injure employment prospects of another — FAA PMS VIII (a) (iv) and 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(5)

Giving an unauthorized preference or advantage to improve or injure the prospects of any particular person for employment — FAA PMS VIII (a) (v) and
	5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(6)

**Deceiving or willfully obstructing right to compete for employment ****— FAA PMS VIII (a) (iii) and **
***	******5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(4)***
**Influencing withdrawal from competition in order to improve or injure employment prospects of another ****— FAA PMS VIII (a) (iv) and *****5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(5)***
**Giving an unauthorized preference or advantage to improve or injure the prospects of any particular person for employment ****— FAA PMS VIII (a) (v) and**
***	******5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(6)***

**HIRING OFFENSES**

## HIRING OFFENSES

**To violate the law there must be —**
**the grant of some **_**illegal**_** advantage**
**an **_**intentional and purposeful manipulation**_** of the system to insure that one person is favored and another person is disadvantaged**

**HIRING OFFENSES**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

##  Caveats:

While hiring offenses usually require intent to deceive or manipulate the system, if a law, rule, or regulation implementing a merit system principle is violated in the process, that would also be a prohibited personnel practice.

Negligence or impudent actions can create the appearance of a hiring offense and result in complaints and investigations — e.g., broadcasting one’s choice before competition is held.

**While hiring offenses usually require intent to deceive or manipulate the system, if a law, rule, or regulation implementing a merit system principle is violated in the process, that would also be a prohibited personnel practice.**
**Negligence or impudent actions can create the appearance of a hiring offense and result in complaints and investigations — **_**e.g.**_**, broadcasting one’s choice before competition is held.**

**HIRING OFFENSES**

## EXAMPLES OF HIRING OFFENSES

**Manager deliberately fails to have vacancy announcement posted, to prevent a particular candidate from applying for a vacancy**
**Application received is deliberately misplaced or destroyed**
**Supervisor gives an employee a dishonest recommendation or appraisal to keep valuable employee or to help another candidate**
**Closed vacancy announcement is re-opened to permit a favored candidate to apply**

## Supervisor encourages a subordinate not to compete, or to withdraw his or her application, by making promises of future benefits that supervisor does not intend to keep

Job qualifications are manipulated to favor a particular applicant

A supervisor advises a qualified employee not to apply for a job in order to improve another employee’s chances to be selected

**Job qualifications are manipulated to favor a particular applicant**
**A supervisor advises a qualified employee not to apply for a job in order to improve another employee’s chances to be selected**

**EXAMPLES OF HIRING OFFENSES**

## CATCH ALL PROHIBITED PERSONNEL PRACTICE

**Taking or failing to take personnel action, in violation of a law, rule or regulation that implements or directly concerns a merit system principle**
***FAA PMS VIII (a) (ix) and***
***                                                                             ******5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(12)***

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## MERIT SYSTEM PRINCIPLESFAA PMS VII and 5 U.S.C. § 2301(b)

**Recruit, select, and advance on the basis of merit after fair and open competition**
**Treat employees and applicants fairly and equitably**
**Provide equal pay for equal work and reward excellent performance**
**Maintain high standards of integrity, conduct, and concern for the public interest**

## Manage employees effectively and efficiently

Retain or separate employees on the basis of their performance

Provide employees with effective training and education

Protect employees from improper political influence

Protect employees from reprisal for lawful disclosures

**Retain or separate employees on the basis of their performance**
**Provide employees with effective training and education**
**Protect employees from improper political influence**
**Protect employees from reprisal for lawful disclosures**

**MERIT SYSTEM PRINCIPLES****FAA PMS VII and 5 U.S.C. § 2301(b)**

## RETALIATIONFAA PMS VIII (a) (vi); (vii) and 5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(8); (b)(9)

**Taking, failure to take, or threatening to take or fail to take personnel action for ―**
_**Protected whistleblowing**_
**Exercise of appeal, complaint, or grievance rights**
**Testimony or other assistance to person exercising such rights**
**Cooperation with or disclosures to the special counsel or an inspector general**
**Refusal to obey an order that would require violation of law**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## ELEMENTS OF PROOF: REPRISAL FOR WHISTLEBLOWING5 U.S.C. §§ 1214(b)(4)(A)-(B), 1221(e)

**Must Show —**
_**Protected Disclosure**_** of information under ****5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8)**
_**Personnel Action**_** taken, not taken, or threatened**
**Actual or constructive **_**knowledge**_** of the protected disclosure**
**Protected disclosure was a **_**contributing factor**_** in the personnel action**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## PROTECTED WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(8), 1213

**Categories of Disclosures**
**A violation of any law, rule, or regulation**
**Gross mismanagement ****(more than *****De Minimis)***
**Gross waste of funds**
**	****	****	****(more than a debatable expenditure)**
**Abuse of authority**
**Substantial and specific danger to public health and/or safety**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## Generally protected when made to any person (except the wrongdoer)

Need not be accurate to be protected 
	Protected if employee has a reasonable belief that it is true- test is both objective and subjective.

No requirement that employee go through chain of command

Whistleblower’s personal motivation does not affect reasonableness of a disclosure

_**Need not be accurate**_** to be protected **
**	****Protected if employee has a **_**reasonable belief**_** that it is true- test is both objective and subjective.**
_**No requirement**_** ****that employee go through chain of command**
**Whistleblower’s**** **_**personal motivation does not affect**_** reasonableness of a disclosure**

**PROTECTED WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES ****(*****cont’d)*****5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(8), 1213**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## Employee or applicant is protected if employer mistakenly believes he or she is a whistleblower

Disclosure not protected (unless made to the Special Counsel or Inspector General), where disclosure is – 

Prohibited by law, or

Required by Executive Order to be Secret for national security or foreign affairs reasons

**Disclosure not protected (unless made to the Special Counsel or Inspector General), where disclosure is – **
**Prohibited by law, **_**or**_
**Required by Executive Order to be Secret for national security or foreign affairs reasons**
** **

**PROTECTED WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES ****(*****cont’d)*****5 U.S.C. §§ 2302(b)(8), 1213**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## CONTRIBUTING FACTOR

**Any factor which alone or in connection with others tends to affect in any way the outcome of the personnel action at issue**
**Can be established by **_**knowledge/timing**_** alone**
**Often established by **_**circumstantial evidence**_

**Notes:**
NOTE

## DISCIPLINARY ACTION5 U.S.C. § 1215

**Prohibited personnel practices**
**Hatch Act violations**
**Other violations of civil service law, rule, or regulation**

**DISCIPLINARY ACTION****5 U.S.C. § 1215**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## DISCIPLINARY ACTION (cont’d) 5 U.S.C. § 1215

**The Merit Systems Protection Board**
**Agency Heads**
***(For uniformed service members and contractors)***
**The President**
***(For most Presidential Appointees)***

**DISCIPLINARY ACTION ****(*****cont’d)***** ****5 U.S.C. § 1215**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## DISCIPLINARY ACTION (cont’d) 5 U.S.C. § 1215

**Removal, reduction in grade, suspension, or reprimand**
**Debarment from federal employment**
**	*****(up to five years)***
**Civil penalty**
***	******(up to $1,100)***

**DISCIPLINARY ACTION ****(*****cont’d)***** ****5 U.S.C. § 1215**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## DISCIPLINARY ACTION (cont’d) 5 U.S.C. § 1215

**Rights of the charged employee include -**
**Opportunity to respond**
**Legal or other representation**
**Hearing before a Merit Systems Protection Board Administrative Law Judge**
**Written decision**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## OSC’S MANAGEMENT ADVICE

**Be measured in your speech and actions**
**Keep the merit systems concepts on your radar screen**
**Seek expert advice when you are unsure**
**Deal with problems as they occur to avoid the appearance of bad motive**
**Be consistent in your management of your employees**
**Do your best not to be someone about whom the whistle is blown**

## The Office of Special Counsel provides a safe channel for whistleblower disclosures by federal employees, former federal employees, and applicants for federal employment.

**WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES****5 U.S.C. § 1213**** **

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES

_**If the Special Counsel makes a positive determination**_** that there is a substantial likelihood that the information discloses one or more of the noted categories of wrongdoing, the Special Counsel must transmit the information to the agency head.**
**The agency head is required to conduct an investigation and submit a written report on the findings of the investigation to the Special Counsel within 60 days - ****5 U.S.C. § 1213 (c)(1)**

**WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES (cont’d) 

**The Special Counsel reviews the agency report and determines whether it contains the information required by statute and whether the findings appear reasonable - 5 U.S.C. § 1213 (d) and (e)(2)**
**The whistleblower has 15 days to comment on the agency report –  ****5 U.S.C. § 1213 (e)(1)**
**The agency’s report and any comments provided by the whistleblower are transmitted to the President and the Congressional Oversight Committees with jurisdiction over the agency that the disclosure involves - ****5 U.S.C. § 1213 (e)(3)**

**WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES ****(*****cont’d)***** **

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES

_**If the Special Counsel does not make a positive determination**_** that there is a substantial likelihood that the information discloses one or more of the categories of wrongdoing, the Special Counsel informs the whistleblower -**
**The reasons why the disclosure may not be further acted on, and**
**Directs the whistleblower to other offices available for receiving disclosures - ****5 U.S.C. § 1213 (g)(3)**

**WHISTLEBLOWER DISCLOSURES**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## OSC WEB SITE(http://www.osc.gov)

## OSC PHONE / E-MAIL CONTACTS

_**Complaints Examining Unit**_**:****	****(202) 254-3670**
***	******	*****(800) 872-9855**
***	***
_**Disclosure Hotline**_**:****	****(202) 254-3640**
**	****	****(800) 572-2249**
**	****	**
_**Hatch Act Unit**_**:****	****(800) 85-HATCH**
**	****	****(202) 254-3650**
***	******	***_***hatchact@osc.gov***_
_**USERRA Unit**_**:****	****(202) 254-3620**
**	****	**_***userra@osc.gov***_
**	****	**
_**OSC Speakers/**_
_**Outreach Requests**_**:****	****(202) 254-3600**
**	****	**

**Notes:**
NOTES:

## OSC MAIL CONTACTS

**U.S. Office of Special Counsel**
**1730 M Street, N.W. (Suite 218)**
**Washington, DC 20036-4505**

**Notes:**
NOTES: