Whistleblower Frequently Asked Questions

Whistleblower FAQs

Will my confidentiality be protected?

Yes, your confidentiality is protected by statute, unless you elect to waive confidentiality or disclosure becomes unavoidable. For example, a court may require that a complainant's name be disclosed during litigation.
What types of disclosure are protected?

Any of the following may be the topic of a protected disclosure, provided that disclosure is made to an authorized recipient (including persons in your chain of command, the NSA OIG, the Intelligence Community OIG, or Congress):

     > Violation of law, regulation, or policy

     > Gross mismanagement (but not merely a difference of opinion over strategy, office operations, etc.)

     > Gross waste of funds (but not debatable expenditures)

     > Abuse of authority

     > Threat to health or safety
What if I am wrong, and the action I report is not really a violation?

As long as you reasonably believed that the action you reported evidenced one of the categories above [types of disclosure], you are protected from reprisal. Also, you do not need to be absolutely certain about an alleged violation of law, or be able to identify the specific rule that you have alleged was violated.
Are contractors protected from reprisal?

Yes. Under Presidential Policy Directive 19, employees of U.S. Intelligence Community contractors making a protected disclosure are protected against acts of reprisal that affect or threaten to affect their security clearance. Moreover, the FISA Amendments Act of 2017 extended whistleblower protections against adverse personnel actions to contractor employees. The Act also codified contractor protections against adverse security clearance determinations.
Can I report anonymously to the OIG?

Yes, you can choose to report anonymously to the OIG, and we have developed cases based on information that was provided anonymously. However, if you report anonymously, we will not be able to contact you for additional information, so please make sure to include as much detail as possible.

If you choose to identify yourself but request confidentiality, the OIG will, as described above, protect your confidentiality and not identify you without your consent, unless doing so becomes unavoidable in the course of the investigation.
If I report something to the OIG, what will happen?

Once you make a complaint to the OIG, we will conduct fact-finding and analysis to determine whether some or all of the complaint warrants further review. If you identify yourself, we may reach out to ask you some questions to more fully understand the nature and details of your allegation(s).

For example, if there is a complaint of reprisal but no allegation that a protected disclosure was ever made, the OIG still might investigate the underlying conduct, such as abuse of authority or gross mismanagement. Furthermore, in certain situations, the OIG may recommend that other organizations in the Agency would be the best resolution channel for the complaint. If you are an employee of the Agency, though, we will not refer a matter to the Agency without your consent.

Once you have made a complaint and the OIG has determined that an investigation is appropriate, you may be interviewed in more detail by the OIG and/or asked to provide documents. In most cases, the OIG is not able to provide updates to a complainant about the status of an ongoing investigation. However, the OIG will make every effort to notify the complainant about the results of the investigation, particularly with regard to allegations of reprisal and other situations calling for personal remedies.
What are my remedies if retaliated against for a protected disclosure?

Retaliating against someone for making a protected disclosure is illegal. If your complaint of retaliation is substantiated, your status or situation may be restored, as nearly as possible, to what it would have been, had the illegal personnel action or security clearance revocation not occurred. You may also be entitled to back pay and/or attorney's fees.
Can anything happen to a supervisor who retaliates against me?

Absolutely. If the OIG substantiates a finding of retaliation, the case is referred for appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Where can I get more information?
The Whistleblower Coordinator is a point of contact for persons seeking information about whistleblower rights and protections.

The Whistleblower Coordinator can be reached by using this contact form.

Individuals wishing to file a complaint with the OIG should do so through our Hotline. Details are available here.