In 2014, there was a series of recommendations both from the Justice Department itself and the GAO for changes to the processes, policies, and approach taken to whistleblowers and whistleblower claims. This included recommendations for protecting FBI employees.
On September 20, 2017, Senators Grassley and Leahy, from the Senate Judiciary Committee, on which they serve as Chairman and Member, respectively, wrote a letter to Attorney General Sessions. The letter inquired into the implementation of various recommendations regarding whistleblowers. The following is taken from Senator Grassley’s website:
“While the Department has taken initial steps to improve the timelines and effectiveness of its whistleblower program, it has failed to implement most of its own recommendations,” the Senators wrote.
Grassley and Leahy are inquiring about the Justice Department’s ability to gauge the success of the steps it has already taken to improve its response to whistleblower claims, like its voluntary mediation program and additional attorney work at the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management to process claims. The senators are also seeking information on initiatives the department has yet to undertake to improve whistleblowers’ access to historic data to inform how to properly move forward with their cases. Further, the senators are requesting details on what criteria have been established for granting whistleblower hearings, why the Justice Department does not provide status updates or timelines on pending whistleblower cases, what progress has been made on considering provisions for compensatory damages for whistleblowers who suffer retaliation and other unincorporated practices that could better protect whistleblowers.
Grassley and Leahy have long championed whistleblower protections and have coauthored bipartisan legislation like the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2012 and the FBI Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2016.
To view the letter, please click here or cut and paste it into your browser: https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-leahy-press-justice-department-whistleblower-protections