Today, on Constitution Day, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) reaffirms its role in upholding the constitutional principles that guide its mission, grounded in our commitment to safeguarding employee rights and ensuring government accountability.
Since it was created by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel has safeguarded the merit-based federal civil service, protected whistleblowers from retaliation, and enforced the Hatch Act’s political activity restrictions. These responsibilities reflect core constitutional values: due process, separation of powers, and a government that remains answerable to the people it serves.
“The Constitution established a government of checks and balances, and OSC exists to help make that promise real for the federal workforce,” said Special Counsel Charles Baldis. “Every whistleblower we protect, every prohibited personnel practice we investigate, and every Hatch Act inquiry we resolve is part of the same constitutional commitment to a government that is fair, transparent, and accountable to the American people.”
On this Constitution Day, OSC encourages federal employees to learn more about their rights and protections under the laws OSC enforces, including the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Resources are available at www.osc.gov.