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U.S. Office of Special Counsel                                                                                                                                                                                                

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                        - OSC Services Overview
                        - Prohibited Personnel Practices                           - PPP Overview
                          - Who Can File a PPP Complaint?
                          - How to File a PPP Complaint
                          - PPP Policies & Procedures
                          - What Happens When a PPP Complaint is Filed?
                          - Federal Agency PPP Responsibilities
                          - Resources for LGBT-Related PPP
                          - PPP FAQs
                          - Additional Resources for PPP
                        - Disclosure of Wrongdoing                           - Disclosure of Wrongdoing Overview
                          - Who Can File a Disclosure of Wrongdoing?
                          - How to File a Disclosure
                          - Confidentiality & Anonymity When Filing a Disclosure
                          - What Happens When an Employee Files a Disclosure?
                          - When a Disclosure Involves Counterintelligences or Foreign Intelligence Information
                          - Disclosure of Wrongdoing FAQs
                          - Additional Resources for Disclosure of Wrongdoing
                        - Hatch Act                           - Hatch Act Overview
                          - Federal Employee Hatch Act Information
                          - State, D.C., or Local Employee Hatch Act Information
                          - Hatch Act Advisory Opinions
                          - How to File a Hatch Act Complaint
                          - Request a Hatch Act Advisory Opinion
                          - Hatch Act Policies & Procedures
                          - Hatch Act Outreach
                          - Hatch Act FAQs
                          - Additional Resources for Hatch Act
                        - USERRA                           - USERRA Overview
                          - Your USERRA Rights as an Employee
                          - Your USERRA Rights as an Employer
                          - How to File a USERRA Complaint
                          - USERRA Enforcement by OSC
                          - USERRA FAQs
                          - Additional Resources for USERRA
                        - Alternative Dispute Resolution                           - Alternative Dispute Resolution OverviewCurrently selected
                          - Alternative Dispute Resolution Process
                          - Advantages of Mediation
                          - Alternative Dispute Resolution FAQs
                        - Outreach, Training, & Certification                           - Outreach, Training, & Certification Overview
                          - How to Request an OSC Speaker
                          - 2302(c) Certification Program
                          - 2302(c) Certification Process
                          - 2302(c) for Government Corporations
                          - 2302(c) Recertification
                          - 2302(c) Registered Agencies
                          - 2302(c) Certified Agencies
                          - Outreach, Training, & Certification FAQs
                          - Additional Resources for Outreach, Training, & Certification

#                                                                 Alternative Dispute Resolution Overview                                                

​The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) offers Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve selected prohibited personnel practices (PPP) and USERRA complaints that have been filed with OSC. Selected cases are referred to OSC’s ADR Unit for review. If the ADR Unit determines that a case is a good candidate for mediation, an OSC ADR Specialist contacts the complainant and the employing agency to invite them to participate in the mediation program. If both parties agree, OSC will assign mediators who will work with the parties to prepare for and schedule a mediation. If mediation results in resolution, the agreement is put into writing and becomes binding on both parties.

#### What is Mediation?

Mediation is a free, voluntary, and confidential dispute resolution process that provides an alternative avenue for resolving OSC complaints.  It gives both parties an opportunity to discuss the issues raised in the complaint outside of a formal hearing context.  In mediation, the parties have a guided forum within which to understand each other's needs and concerns and explore creative options for settlement beyond the formal remedies OSC can obtain through litigation.  Mediation helps identify areas of agreement and ultimately incorporate those areas into a final resolution of the complaint.​

For more information, please see our Fact Sheet on How OSC's Mediation Program Works​​​​​

 OSC Alternative Dispute Resolution Overview- Video

### U.S. Office of Special Counsel