Federal Contractors
Current law 41 (USCS § 4712) provides protection for employees of federal contractors, subcontractors, or grantees against retaliation or discrimination for disclosing information you reasonably believed to be evidence of…
- Gross mismanagement of a federal contract or grant;
- An abuse of authority relating to a federal contract or grant;
- A substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or
- A violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a federal contract or grant.
That disclosure must have been made to …
- Member of Congress or a representative of a committee of Congress:
- An Inspector General’s office;
- The Government Accountability Office;
- A federal employee responsible for contract or grant oversight or management at the relevant agency;
- An authorized official of the Department of Justice or other law enforcement agency;
- A court or grand jury;
- A management official or other employee of the contractor, subcontractor, or grantee who has the responsibility to investigate, discover, or address the misconduct.
The Process
If this law covers you, you can file complaint with the Inspector General (IG) of the federal agency that contracted with your employer within three years of the date when the alleged reprisal took place. And the process is confidential unless you want to consent to release of information.
What Else Should You Know?
You may also have remedies under state law, other federal laws or administrative programs offered by the contracting federal agency. Consult an attorney for more information.
