This notice is to inform employees working on federal contracts, subcontracts and grants of the rights and remedies extended them by the Enhancement of Contractor Employee Whistleblower Protections, Public Law 112-239, Section 828, as amended by Public Law 114-261, codified at 41 USC 4712.
Whistleblower protections prohibit federal contractors, subcontractors, grantees, subgrantees, or personal services contractors from retaliating against an employee who discloses information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of:
- gross mismanagement of a Federal contract or grant;
- a gross waste of Federal funds;
- an abuse of authority relating to a Federal contract or grant;
- substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or
- a violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a Federal contract (including the competition for or negotiation of a contract) or grant;
to any of the persons or entities listed below:
- a Member of Congress or a representative of a committee of Congress;
- an Inspector General;
- 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 misconduct.
A person who believes they have been subjected to reprisal for a protected action may submit a complaint to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the federal agency that issued the grant or contract. Complaints must be filed no more than three years after the date on which the alleged reprisal took place. Procedures for submitting fraud, waste, abuse, and whistleblower complaints are generally accessible on agency Office of Inspector General Hotline or Whistleblower Internet sites. A reporting tool to identify and link directly to the OIG with jurisdiction over the complaint is available at Oversight.gov.
ETSU employees are reminded that the University has a policy and procedure for Preventing and Reporting Fraud, Waste or Abuse.
Notice to Employees of Whistleblower Protections