Hotline

Whistleblower retaliation is an adverse employment action in response to a protected disclosure of information. Retaliation may include almost any personnel action, failure to take a personnel action, or threat to take or fail to take a personnel action, which adversely affects the whistleblower, such as:

• A non-promotion
• A disciplinary action
• A detail, transfer, or reassignment
• A decision concerning pay, benefits, or awards
• A significant change in duties, responsibilities, or working conditions

• Contract and Grant Fraud (view a description of Common Fraud Schemes)
• Environmental, Health, and Safety Violations
• Computer Crimes
• Product Substitution and Suspect/Counterfeit Parts
• Bribery, Kickbacks, and Gratuities
• False Statements and False Claims
• Conflicts of Interest and Ethics Violations
• Travel Fraud
• Theft or Abuse of Government Property
• Violation(s) of Criminal Law and/or the Civil False Claims Act in Connection with a Federal Contract
• Other Violations of Federal Laws and Regulations

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requires all contractors to notify the government if they have evidence of a violation of the civil False Claims Act or Federal criminal law involving fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, or gratuity violation. (2 C.F.R. § 200.113)

Upon receipt of a specific allegation of fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement, the OIG may take any one of the following actions: open an investigation or audit; refer the matter to DOT management for appropriate review and action; or refer the allegation to another Federal agency. Allegations with limited specificity or merit may be held in abeyance until further, specific details are reported.

Yes, you may remain anonymous. However, we encourage you to identify yourself in the event additional questions arise as we evaluate or pursue your allegations. Please consider providing your name and contact information to allow for follow-up contact if needed. In many cases, our inability to reach you for follow-up may prevent a comprehensive review of your complaint.

The Office of Inspector General will protect the identity of complainants to the maximum extent possible by law. Confidentiality is established by Section 7(b) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, which precludes the IG from disclosing the identity of a DOT employee who reports an allegation or provides information, without the employee's consent, unless the IG determines that disclosure is unavoidable during the course of the investigation. Non-Department of Transportation employees who report allegations may specifically request confidentiality.

• Aviation safety-related complaints, such as an aircraft incidents and accidents or violations of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) may be directed to FAA’s Aviation Safety Hotline.
• Complaints about defective motor vehicles should be directed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Hotline.
• For questions involving your rights when moving household goods, please visit our Household Goods Moving Fraud Portal.
• Federal employees with complaints about prohibited personnel practices, including whistleblower reprisals; Hatch Act violations; or other workplace improprieties, should visit the Office of Special Counsel's website for more information.
• If you have you experienced safety, service or discrimination issues, including shipment of hazardous materials, with a moving company, bus or truck company, or cargo tank facility, please visit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Consumer Complaint Database.