The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a law providing reauthorization of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for the next five years, while also expanding the agency’s investigative powers.
The bill clarifies the OSC’s ability to receive organizational information related to whistleblower claims and expands the agency’s annual reporting mandates to provide better information to policymakers and whistleblowers alike. It also requires the office to hand down regulations within the next two years and establishes a pilot program to interview complainants of the OSC.
A number of changes
The law will make it much more difficult for businesses and organizations to protect managers from scrutiny and addresses several other common criticisms of the OSC’s work. It also provides greater transparency into the OSC’s investigative process and establishes a pilot program to enhance customer service. In a recent press release, OSC officials expressed its support of the bill, publicly thanking the lawmakers who led the effort in Congress.
The U.S. Senate version of the bill passed unanimously in May. Now, it will head to a conference committee to reconcile the two versions and send the new bill to both houses for final approval. If passed, it would provide funding to the OSC through 2021.
The OSC is the federal agency that takes the lead on many whistleblower investigations pertaining to businesses, organizations and public agencies across the country. For further guidance on how you can best protect your business, meet with a dedicated attorney at Whistleblower Law for Managers in Dallas, Texas.
