Federal Employees Are Protected if They "Blow the Whistle"
Federal employees enjoy substantial protections other employees do not. One such protection is the whislteblower statute, also known as reporting fraud, waste or abuse. See Workplace Fairness for a good layperson description. This statute protects a federal employee who reports fraud, waste or abuse or a simple violation of a statute or regulation. There are a number of ways to report a violation of this statute. A federal employee can submit a complaint to the Merit Systems Protection Board or to the Office of Special Counsel.
Of course, one should never depend on a lawsuit or a complaint to put food on the table. It is always better to avoid problems, if possible. But, sometimes, problems find you, especially if you believe in the doing the right thing......
