Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes, modifies, and expands certain whistleblower protections for federal employees, including with respect to petitions to Congress, whistleblower identity, and protected disclosures.

Highlights:

• Prohibits personnel action against employees who exercise their right to petition or furnish information to Congress (Sec. 2-5).

• Specifies that the President, Members of Congress, members of uniformed services, and other federal employees are preclude from interfering with this right (Sec. 3-5).

• Prohibits employees from disclosing the identity of whisleblowers to individuals outside the government (Sec. 3-5).

• Authorizes employees to request corrective action from the Merit Systems Protection Board with respect to such prohibited practices and specifies they may file an action in court if the board does not render a final decision within 180 days of request (Sec. 4-5).

• Expands the list of recipients that an employee may make a protected disclosure to include a supervisor in the employee’s direct chain of command (Sec. 4-5).

• Authorizes personnel actions involving furloughs of more than 14 days but less than 30 days, and specifies that furloughs of 13 days or less that are not due to funding lapses are appealable adverse actions that are subject to certain procedural requirements (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text