U.S. Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger, head of the Office of Special Counsel, will be speaking at the National Whistleblower Day celebration held on Capitol Hill on July 30.
Dellinger was confirmed as Special Counsel in February. The OSC is an independent agency that protects federal employees from prohibited personnel practices, including whistleblower retaliation. The watchdog agency also investigates whistleblower disclosures about wrongdoing in federal agencies.
On June 20, Dellinger announced that he is pushing for the permanent recognition of National Whistleblower Day, sending a letter to Congress calling on legislation on the matter. Each year since 2013, the Senate has unanimously passed a resolution designating July 30 as National Whistleblower Appreciation Day but whistleblowers and advocates have been pushing for a permanent designation.
“The establishment of a permanent Whistleblower Appreciation Day reinforces the longstanding bipartisan consensus that whistleblowers serve an invaluable role in our government,” Dellinger said. “By dedicating a day to these brave public servants, we not only honor the contributions of current whistleblowers, but we show potential whistleblowers that their sacrifices will not go unnoticed or unappreciated. And we make clear that retaliation against a whistleblower will not be tolerated.”
Other confirmed speakers at the National Whistleblower Center’s National Whistleblower Day celebration include Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). More speakers, including whistleblowers, advocates and other government officials, are still to be announced.
For more information on National Whistleblower Day (including how to attend) visit: https://whistleblowersblog.org/nwd/