New Framework Clarifies Referral Policies for IG Whistleblower Disclosures

November 03, 2020

OSC and CIGIE recently issued a memorandum outlining two agreements concerning the handling of 5 U.S.C. § 1213 referrals involving Offices of Inspector General officials and their employees.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) recently issued a memorandum outlining two agreements concerning the handling of 5 U.S.C. § 1213 referrals involving Offices of Inspector General (OIG) officials and their employees.  The core goals of the agreements are to protect the independence of the respective Inspectors General and provide better outcomes to whistleblowers who report allegations of wrongdoing by OIGs.  The agreements allow OSC to treat an Inspector General as the head of their agency for purposes of 1213 referrals.  The first agreement concerns “Covered Persons"—who are officials that fall under the jurisdiction of CIGIE's Integrity Committee.  The second agreement concerns non-Covered Persons—i.e., all other OIG employees.  The agreements are the result of a years-long effort to clarify standards of procedure for such disclosures.

The full memorandum and respective agreements can be found here.