NPR

VA Whistleblowers 10 Times More Likely Than Peers To Receive Disciplinary Action

A new report by the Government Accountability Office also found that nearly two-thirds of individuals who filed formal complaints did not work for Veterans Affairs the following year.
A sign marks the entrance to a VA Hospital in Hines, Ill.

A new report out Thursday by the federal government's auditing arm raises big concerns about how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles employees who report wrongdoing and managers found to have committed misconduct.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office's report says VA whistleblowers are far more likely than their colleagues to face discipline or removal after reporting misconduct.

It also found that senior VA managers are sometimes not held accountable for substantiated misconduct and that managers accused of wrongdoing sometimes investigate themselves.

Report highlights include:

  • Whistleblowers were 10 times more likely than their peers to receive disciplinary

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