DOE Whistleblower Protection Program

The Department of Energy's Whistleblower Protection Program was established to safeguard "public and employee health and safety; ensur[e] compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and prevent[ ] fraud, mismanagement, waste, and abuse" at DOE's government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) facilities. 57 Fed. Reg. 7533 (March 3, 1992). Its primary purpose is to encourage contractor employees to disclose information which they believe exhibits unsafe, illegal, fraudulent, or wasteful practices and to protect those "whistleblowers" from reprisals by their employers.

Proceedings under 10 C.F.R. Part 708 offer employees of DOE contractors a mechanism for resolution of whistleblower complaints by providing for independent fact-finding and a hearing before an OHA Hearing Officer, followed by an opportunity for review by the Secretary of Energy or her designee. See David Ramirez, 23 DOE ¶ 87,505, affirmed, 24 DOE ¶ 87,510 (1994). The regulations provide, in pertinent part, that a DOE contractor may not take any adverse action, such as discharge, demotion, coercion or threat, against any employee because that employee has "[d]isclosed to an official of DOE, to a member of Congress, or to the contractor (including any higher tier contractor), information that the employee in good faith believes evidences [a] violation of any law, rule, or regulation [or] a substantial and specific danger to employees or public health or safety." 10 C.F.R. § 708.5(a)(1); see also Francis M. O'Laughlin, 24 DOE ¶ 87,505 (1994).

It is the burden of the complainant under Part 708 to establish "by a preponderance of the evidence that there was a disclosure, participation, or refusal described under § 708.5, and that such act was a contributing factor in a personnel action taken or intended to be taken against the complainant." 10 C.F.R. § 708.9(d). See Ronald Sorri, 23 DOE ¶ 87,503 (1993), citing McCormick on Evidence § 339 at 439 (4th ed. 1992).

If the complainant meets his burden of proof by a preponderance of the evidence that his protected activity was a "contributing factor" to the alleged adverse actions taken against him, "the burden shall shift to the contractor to prove by clear and convincing evidence that it would have taken the same personnel action absent the complainant's disclosure . . . ." 10 C.F.R. § 708.9(d). See Ronald Sorri, 23 DOE ¶ 87,503 (1993), citing McCormick on Evidence, § 340 at 442 (4th ed. 1992).

On December 22, 1997, The Department of Energy proposed changes to the Contractor Employee Protection Program. You may read that proposal by clicking here.