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GAO-07-318R 1 (2007-02-16)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptauua0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 






        Aountability * Integrity * Reabity
United States Government Accountability Office
Washington, DC 20548




                                   February 16, 2007

                                   The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
                                   Chairman
                                   Committee on the Judiciary
                                   House of Representatives

                                   The Honorable Barney Frank
                                   House of Representatives

                                   Subject: Office of Special Counsel Needs to Follow Structured Life Cycle
                                   Management Practices for Its Case Tracking System

                                   The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is charged with safeguarding the
                                   merit system by protecting federal employees and applicants for
                                   employment from prohibited personnel practices, such as discrimination,
                                   nepotism, and retaliation against whistleblowing.' An individual who feels
                                   that a prohibited personnel practice has occurred may file a claim with
                                   OSC, which OSC then investigates and on which it may seek corrective or
                                   disciplinary action through negotiation with agencies or prosecution of
                                   claims before the Merit Systems Protection Board.2 In addition, federal
                                   employees, former federal employees, and applicants for federal
                                   employment may also disclose to OSC alleged wrongdoing by federal
                                   employees (termed whistleblower disclosures), including violations of
                                   law, gross mismanagement, or abuse of authority.3 OSC also provides
                                   advisory opinions and enforces Hatch Act restrictions on the political
                                   activities of individuals employed by the federal and District of Columbia
                                   governments as well as certain state and local government employees in
                                   connection with programs financed by federal funds. OSC also prosecutes
                                   claims before the Merit Systems Protection Board on behalf of federal
                                   employees, former federal employees, and applicants for federal
                                   employment under the Uniformed Services Employment and
                                   Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), which protects the
                                   employment and reemployment rights of federal and nonfederal



                                   1Prohibited personnel practices are specified in 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b).

                                   'An independent, quasi-judicial agency in the executive branch, the Merit Systems
                                   Protection Board serves as the guardian of federal merit principles.
                                   3Reprisal for whistleblower disclosure is a prohibited personnel practice.


GAO-07-318R OSC Data Reliability


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