The “extraordinarily broad” NDA proposal would unlawfully conflict with whistleblower protections and other legal avenues for federal employees to report fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, PEER said. The organization is urging OPM to fully withdraw the proposal.
Tim Whitehouse, PEER’s executive director, argued that the vagueness of OPM’s proposal would cause employees to remain silent, despite OPM stating that whistleblower protections are safeguarded.
“It is vague enough to frighten employees into silence, broad enough to cover almost any internal government discussion and structured to ensure that the people who sign it have almost nowhere to turn if they witness wrongdoing,” Whitehouse said Tuesday.