Whistleblowers Deserve Protection
PEER has a long history of working with environmental, natural resource, and public health whistleblowers. We help public employees make informed decisions about how to protect their rights and their careers while revealing government wrong-doing and abuses.
PEER also works with clients on more effective and less costly alternatives to whistleblowing, because it is important to keep conscientious people inside public service. However, if your efforts to protect the environment have gotten you into trouble, we will use whistleblower and other laws to defend you in administrative or court proceedings.
Whistleblowers are an important line of defense against corruption and abuse by governments. We have spent over 25 years protecting the work of public servants and holding governments accountable. All of our services are pro bono, or without cost to you.
The Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA)
The Whistleblower Protection Act
The Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) protects federal employees who make disclosures which the employee reasonably believes evidence (does not have to actually be true):
- Any violation of any law, rule, or regulation;
- Gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority; or
- A substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
As long as the disclosure is not prohibited by law (for example, laws prohibiting the disclosure of critical infrastructure information) or required by executive order to be kept secret (i.e. classified).[5 U.S.C. Sec. 2302(b)(8)]
In addition, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, enacted in made claims of retaliation for any of the following subject to the same procedures and burdens of proof as whistleblower claims… Read More>>
House Gives Hope to Federal Whistleblowers, Senate Must Step Up
In order to ensure that the Whistleblower Protection Improvement Act stands a chance of becoming law, voters must keep their Senators accountable. Read More »
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
NEWS FROM PEER
PEERMail | Whistleblowers Making a Difference
On Whistleblower Appreciation Day, we honor those who stand up for strong environmental protections and work for better whistleblower protections.
EPA Risk Assessments Doctored to Mask Hazards
Managers Remove Elements of Risk without Analysts’ Knowledge or Consent
Federal Agency Rules for Treasure Island Whistleblower
Navy Environmental Lawyer Fired for Advocating Radiation & Toxic Safety
BLM Migratory Bird Whistleblower in More Hot Water
Vendetta against Veteran Environmental Analyst Takes Strange New Turn
Pawnee Coal Plant Causing Clean Air Act Violations
State Fails to Control Coal Plant Emissions Endangering Public Health
STATEMENT | Earth Day 2021: Celebrating Environmental Whistleblowers
PEER recognizes whistleblowers as critical resources in environmental, public health, and public lands management. Earth Day 2021
PEERMail | Something Extraordinary – A Whistleblower Wins
After years of legal wrangling with the USGS and the Merit Systems Protection Board, a career microbiologist turned whislteblower is reinstated.
USGS Restores Fired Lab Biosafety Whistleblower
Scientist Had Raised Alarms about Wildlife Disease Lab Biosecurity Breaches
PEERMail | BLM’s Litmust Test on Whistleblowers
After years of mismanagement and retaliation against employees who raised concerns about oil and gas projects, can the BLM deliver on Biden’s conservation promises?
USGS Wildlife Labs Criticized Over Animal Care
Call for Independent Accreditation of All USGS Live Animal Facilities
BLM Moves to Fire Migratory Bird Whistleblower
Reports on Raptors Dying in Big Wyoming Oil and Gas Project Spiked
PEERMail | Sunshine Week: Not Letting Our Guard Down
The fight for government transparency is reaffirmed each year during Sunshine Week, where we stand up for our rights to government information.
BLOG | Research Suppression at USDA and Stagnation of Agricultural Science
Jonathan Lundgren was a top-rated USDA research scientist until he started revealing the environmental harms of the neonicotinoid insecticides and other favorite products of the pesticide industry.
Statement | In Praise of COVID Whistleblower Rebekah Jones
Rebekah Jones exposed wrongdoing and abuse of power in Florida during the COVID pandemic to save lives and make government more accountable.
BLOG | Will Biden Pick Whistleblowers?
The need to employ public sector reformers has not been more acute nor has the community of reformers/whistleblowers been so large.
BLOG | The Whistleblower Protection Act is Dead
Major issues with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), including a large backlog of cases, have rendered the Whistleblower Protection Act dead.
BLOG | Don’t Mention COVID-19 at NOAA
NOAA has informed its employees to avoid mentions of COVID-19 in publicly available documents as the hyper-political White House attempts to win reelection.
BLOG | Reforming Whistleblower Protection Laws
In light of the dangerous pattern of retaliation by the Trump Administration against those who report wrongdoing, it is more important than ever to preserve and reform federal whistleblower protections.
PEERMail | Lifting the Curtain on Corruption
Trump’s response to the pandemic further shows a corrupt administration intent on disabling government, dismantling oversight, and purging those who disagree.
BLOG | Dr. Bright’s COVID-19 Cronyism Case Is Tough to Crack
The case of Dr. Rick Bright concerning corruption in federal vaccine development should be Exhibit A for serious reform of the federal whistleblower system by the next Congress.
