Whistleblower Protection Coordination Act Signed into Law

On June 25, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Whistleblower Protection Coordination Act (WPCA) into law. The WPCA permanently reauthorizes the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator position in all federal agencies’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

The Whistleblower Protection Coordinator (WPC) positions had existed since 2012 but were subject to reauthorization. The WPC educate employees, contractors and grantees about prohibitions against retaliation for making legitimate disclosures. They also educate federal employees about their rights and the proper procedures to follow if they are considering disclosing information. Additionally, the Whistleblower Protection Coordinator is to assist the OIG after a whistleblower complaint has been filed, by coordinating with agencies and outside bodies.

Whistleblower disclosures can save lives, taxpayer dollars, and play a critical role in holding our government accountable. Federal law should strongly encourage employees to disclose wrongdoing while simultaneously protecting whistleblowers from retaliation.

“By signing this important legislation into law, whistleblowers will now have a dedicated official permanently at each agency to educate the workforce and work with OSC to protect against retaliation. This an important step to ensure whistleblowers who disclose waste, fraud, and abuse know their rights and are protected,” said Henry Kerner, head of the Office of Special Counsel in a June 25th statement applauding the President’s action.