    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 2007]
    [Page 497]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 497]]

    OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL

    1730 M Street NW., Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505

    Phone, 202-254-3600 or 800-872-9855. Fax, 202-653-5151. Internet,
    www.osc.gov.
    Special Counsel                                   Scott J. Bloch
    Deputy Special Counsel                            James Byrne
        Associate Special Counsel for                 Leonard Dribinsky
                Investigation and
                Prosecution Division
        Director of Field Operations                  William Reukauf
        Outreach Director                             Erin Berry
        Associate Special Counsel for Legal           Erin M. McDonnell
                Counsel and Policy Division
    Director, Congressional and Public Affairs        Loren Smith

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Office of Special Counsel investigates allegations of certain
    activities prohibited by civil service laws, rules, or regulations and
    litigates before the Merit Systems Protection Board.

    Activities

    The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) was established on January 1, 1979,
    by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978 (5 U.S.C. app.). The Civil Service
    Reform Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 1101 note), which became effective on
    January 11, 1979, enlarged its functions and powers. Pursuant to
    provisions of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (5 U.S.C. 1211 et
    seq.), OSC functions as an independent investigative and prosecutorial
    agency within the executive branch which litigates before the Merit
    Systems Protection Board.
        The primary role of OSC is to protect employees, former employees,
    and applicants for employment from prohibited personnel practices,
    especially reprisal for whistleblowing. Its basic areas of statutory
    responsibility are to do the following:
        --receive and investigate allegations of prohibited personnel
    practices and other activities prohibited by civil service law, rule, or
    regulation and, if warranted, initiating corrective or disciplinary
    action;
        --provide a secure channel through which information evidencing a
    violation of any law, rule, or regulation, gross mismanagement, gross
    waste of funds, abuse of authority, or substantial and specific danger
    to public health or safety may be disclosed without fear of retaliation
    and without disclosure of identity, except with the employee's consent;
    and
        --enforce the provisions of the Hatch Act and the Uniformed Services
    Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.

     Sources of Information

    Field offices are located in Dallas, TX (525 Griffin Street, Room 824,
    Box 103, Dallas, TX 75202. Phone, 214-747-1519. Fax, 214-767-2764);
    Oakland, CA (Suite 365S, 1301 Clay Street, Suite 1220N, Oakland, CA
    94612-5217. Phone, 510-637-3460. Fax, 510-637-3474); and Detroit, MI
    (477 Michigan Avenue, Suite 495, Detroit, MI 48226. Phone, 313-226-4496.
    Fax, 313-226-5606).

    For further information, contact the Office of Special Counsel, 1730 M
    Street NW., Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505. Phone, 202-254-3600 or
    800-872-9855. Fax, 202-653-5151. Internet, www.osc.gov.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------