As an employee performing work on a federal grant or contract, we are writing to ensure you are aware of your specific rights and protections under federal law and Occidental College’s Whistleblower Policy (see also attached).
Consistent with 41 U.S.C. § 4712, the College prohibits reprisal against employees for disclosing information that they reasonably believe is evidence of gross mismanagement of a federal contract or grant, a gross waste of federal funds, an abuse of authority relating to a federal contract or grant, a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, or a violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a federal contract or grant.
Under the College's policy and federal regulations, employees working on federal grants have the right to:
- Submit a complaint to the Inspector General of the funding agency regarding suspected wrongdoing.
- Be protected from reprisal (discharge, demotion, or discrimination) for submitting such a complaint or engaging in protected activity.
- Access the Inspector General’s investigation file regarding your complaint.
- Seek remedies prescribed by law, including filing a complaint in a court of law.
We encourage you to review the full policy to understand the reporting procedures available to you.
If you have questions specifically regarding your rights, please contact the Sponsored Research Office. For general questions regarding the policy or to report a concern, you may contact Human Resources, the General Counsel, or use the anonymous reporting form linked in the policy.
Thank you for your commitment to ethical conduct in our federally sponsored projects.
Sincerely,
Sponsored Research Office (SRO)
Sponsored Research Office
sro@oxy.edu | T 323-259-2515