Protection of Federal Whistleblowers

Panelists talked about protecting government whistleblowers and striking the balance between reporting wrongdoing and the government’s need for confidentiality. Whistleblowers is a term used for government employees who report wrongdoing. Topics included retaliation in the form of harassment, transfers, lessening of duties, and being fired; court decisions that have undermined the Whistleblower Protection Act; and perceptions of whistleblowers. One of the panelists, Carolyn Lerner, the new head of the government’s agency that investigates whistleblower complaints, talked about the impact of budget cuts on her agency’s ability to investigate complaints. Questions from audience members are included at the end of the program. close