Office of Special Counsel (OSC) | Practical Law

Office of Special Counsel (OSC) | Practical Law

Office of Special Counsel (OSC)

Office of Special Counsel (OSC)

Practical Law Glossary Item 9-576-2645 (Approx. 4 pages)

Glossary

Office of Special Counsel (OSC)

The US agency responsible for enforcing federal laws that protect the rights of federal employees and applicants for federal employment, including:
OSC is authorized to:
  • Investigate allegations of prohibited personnel practices (PPPs) filed by federal employees and applicants for federal employment in executive branch agencies and the Government Printing Office.
  • Seek disciplinary or corrective action for a PPP before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
  • Accept disclosures and oversee government investigations of wrongdoing within the executive branch filed by current or former federal employees or applicants for employment. Federal whistleblowers may file disclosures with the OSC that allege:
    • a violation of a law, rule, or regulation;
    • gross mismanagement;
    • a gross waste of funds;
    • an abuse of authority; or
    • a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
  • Investigate violations of the Hatch Act, which limits certain political activities of federal employees and protects federal employees from political coercion in the workplace.
  • Receives USERRA cases involving a federal government employer from the Department of Labor Veterans' Employment and Training Service (DOL-VETS) that may be appropriate for litigation.
  • Prosecute selected USERRA cases involving a federal employer before the MSPB.
  • Mediate selected PPP complaints.
  • Conduct outreach and training to federal agencies and non-federal organizations on:
    • PPPs, including retaliation for whistleblowing;
    • whistleblower disclosures;
    • the Hatch Act and its application to federal, state, and local government employees; and
    • protections for federal employees under USERRA.
The OSC is headed by the Special Counsel, who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The agency operates out of Washington, DC, with three field offices in Dallas, TX, Detroit, MI, and Oakland, CA.
For more information, see Practice Notes, The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) and Civil Service Protections for Federal Employees: Overview.