Whistleblower Rights and Remedies

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Whistleblower Rights and Remedies


At the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), we take our responsibility to identify and address the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse seriously.  

This responsibility has been extended by Congress to CNCS’ contractors, subcontractors, and grantees through the Pilot Program for Enhancement of Contractor Employee Whistleblower Protections (41 U.S.C. § 4712).

When Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Pub. L. 112-239) dated Jan. 3, 2012, it included an important provision: Section 828, which protects grantees, contractors, and subcontractors who report suspected waste, fraud, and abuse.  Employees of grantees, contractors, or subcontractors are protected from reprisal, recrimination, or adverse action for reporting suspected illegal activity involving federal funds.

The Pilot Program requires grantees, contractors, and subcontractors to advise their employees to promptly report actual or suspicions of violations of law or regulation related to CNCS funds to the OIG or to their supervisors and managers.  This commitment includes safeguarding each employee’s right to disclose information he or she reasonably believes demonstrates —

  • A violation of a law, rule, or regulation related to any Federal contract or grant; 
  • A substantial danger to public health or safety; 
  • Gross mismanagement of a contract or grant; 
  • Gross waste of Federal funds; or 
  • An abuse of authority related to a Federal contract or grant.

CNCS and its grantees, contractors, and subcontractors do not tolerate any acts of reprisal against anyone who reports any of the foregoing violations.  

Reports to the OIG may be made anonymously.  If an individual chooses to provide his or her identity, the Inspector General Act of 1978 provides that the individual’s name will not be revealed unless the OIG determines that the disclosure is unavoidable, is required under the law, or is necessary to conduct an investigation of the alleged reprisal.  Whether or not an employee’s name is revealed, they will enjoy full protection from reprisal.  

Reports of fraud to the OIG may be made by:

  • Contacting the Fraud Hotline toll free at (800) 452-8210; or, 
  • Emailing the OIG at hotline@cncsoig.gov

To provide this information to your employees, CNCS has created a one-page information sheet that should be posted in a highly-visible, high-traffic place in your organization.

Click to download: Notice to Employees: Whistleblower Rights and Remedies.