OSC Highlights Recent Hatch Act Enforcement Actions to Protect Integrity of Federal Workforce

​​The U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC’s) Hatch Act Unit is sharing three settlement agreements reached over the last six months to underscore the importance of complying with federal restrictions on partisan political activity.  

In one case, a federal employee, while administering a nearly three-hour mental health diagnostic test on Election Day, repeatedly expressed support for a presidential candidate, questioned the patient’s opposing views, and told the patient he hoped she would reconsider her choice of candidate by the end of the test. The patient was so taken aback by the employee’s statements that she wondered whether it was part of the diagnostic testing. The distraction caused by the employee was significant and resulted in the patient retaking the test to ensure an accurate diagnosis. As part of the settlement agreement, the employee agreed to a 21-day unpaid suspension for violating prohibitions against using official authority or influence to affect an election and engaging in political activity while on duty.  

Another settlement involved a federal employee who sent as many as 10 prohibited political messages a day on at least 31 days while on duty. OSC filed a complaint for disciplinary action with the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board alleging the employee used official video conferencing and email accounts, and a personal social media account to engage in extended political debates about political candidates and send messages to coworkers promoting or disparaging candidates for partisan political office. The employee admitted to the allegations, including that he knew or should have known about the Hatch Act restrictions, and accepted a 30-day unpaid suspension as a penalty. 

In a third case, a federal supervisor ran for and was elected to partisan political office and also solicited campaign contributions during the campaign. When notified that his candidacy and solicitations violated the Hatch Act, he immediately resigned from the elected position. In a settlement agreement, the employee admitted that he knew or should have known about the Hatch Act’s prohibitions and accepted a 10-day unpaid suspension as a penalty for violating the Hatch Act.