http://www.peer.org/press/554.html
STAFF "PURGE" AT OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
Whistleblower Staff Claiming Retaliation
Forced Moves to New "Midwest Field Office"
Washington, DC --
The U.S. Special Counsel, the principal protector of federal
whistleblower and merit system rights, has abruptly ordered more than
20 percent of his headquarters legal and investigative staff to
relocate or be fired.
According to a letter of protest filed today by three national
whistleblower watchdog groups, those targeted for forced moves are all
career employees hired before Bloch became Special Counsel, as part of
a purge to stifle dissent and re-staff the agency with handpicked
loyalists.
Bloch began the second year of his five-year term by ordering 12
headquarters employees, on penalty of removal, to accept involuntary
transfers to Dallas, Oakland and a newly created Detroit field office.
Bloch did not ask for volunteers or consult with affected employees
beforehand.
The employees have been given 10 days to agree to the transfer and 60
days to move.
As many of the employees have families in the area it is not known how
many will leave public service rather than move.
Three whistleblower protection organizations (the Government
Accountability Project, Public Employees for Environmental
Responsibility and the Project on Government Oversight) wrote to the
Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs strongly urging the directed
reassignment await an investigation of merit system abuses,
retaliation, and other prohibited personnel practices at Office of
Special Counsel by the Government Accountability Office.
___________________________________________________________
Strange things are happening.
Harry
.
|
