National Whistleblower Appreciation Day
July 29, 2016
Whistleblowing is part of the federal government’s mission and the Office of the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community is a resource for all national security employees. The IG hired a director in 2013 to build an IC Whistleblowing Program, and three years later the program has robust outreach and reprisal intake functions.
Dan Meyer is the Executive Director for IC Whistleblowing and Source Protection program. He has made it his duty to ensure no matter where an employee works – whether it be at a large Washington headquarters or a small office in the mid-west – there is no question how to report wrongdoing. Meyer is an advocate for the whistleblowing process, and works with employees to understand the lawful process and protections available to them as potential Intelligence Community Whistleblowers.
“The buildout of IC Whistleblowing covers the need to get information regarding wrongdoing to those who can identify and fix problems, as well as provides protection to the people conveying that information. We are seeing an increase in disclosures; and those disclosures are being handled lawfully,” said Meyer.
While statues and policies have evolved, the requirement to report wrongdoing is not a new concept. In 1778, whistleblowing formally became part of the future Federal Government mission when the Continental Congress made it a duty. Today, Executive Order 12674 “Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees” continues the tradition legislated more than two centuries ago.
The Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus introduced a resolution that designated July 30, 2016, as Whistleblower Appreciation Day. The resolution, “encourages federal agencies to acknowledge employees who call attention to fraud, waste and abuse and reminds employees of their legal rights as whistleblowers.” The Caucus was founded by Senators Charles Grassley and Ron Wyden last year as a bipartisan coalition dedicated to protecting whistleblowers’ rights.
The IC IG works closely with lawmakers and their staff to ensure the interest of national security employees are represented and protected. For more information about the IC Whistleblowing program visit dni.gov/icig or call 571-204-8149.
Presidential Policy Directive – 19 (PPD-19), Protecting Whistleblowers with Access to Classified Information, provides safeguards for Intelligence Community employees who are reprised against for lawfully participating in the whistleblowing process. PPD-19 requires that the agency inspector general review whistleblower reprisal allegations, and also allows employees to seek an external review from the IC IG of their reprisal allegations if they wish to appeal their own agency’s review process finding. The IC Whistleblowing Program has had 18 requests for external review since its inception in 2013.
