Office of Special Counsel (OSC)
The United States Office of Special Counsel, or OSC, began in 1979 as a part of the Merit Systems Protection Board. However, the OSC became an independent federal agency in 1989 with the passage of the Whistleblower Protection Act. Now, OSC works to enforce the Whistleblower Protection Act and to prevent prohibited personnel practices, or PPPs.
The OSC acts as both an investigative as well as a prosecutorial agency to protect federal employees and potential federal employees. However, you may still require the help of an experienced Federal Employment Lawyer to fully defend your rights. To discuss your case, contact a tenacious attorney for Office of Special Counsel Cases from The Vaughn Law Firm, LLC, at 1-877-615-9495.
Prohibited Personnel Practices
The OSC protects potential and current federal employees, helping them uphold their rights as outlined in the Civil Service Reform Act, Whistleblower Protection Act, Hatch Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act. Overall, the OSC investigates and prosecutes prohibited personnel practices such as:
- Reprisal against whistleblowers
- Discrimination based on factors such as age, nationality, gender, etc.
- Nepotism
- Constraining the political beliefs of employees
- Using “unauthorized preference or advantage” (favoritism) in a way that affects someone’s job
- Using deceit or knowingly obstructing a person from competing for employment
When you file a complaint, you will receive notice of how the OSC plans to handle your case, if they believe that you in fact have a case.
