Billing Code 7405-01-P
U.S. OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL
Notice for Public Comment: OSC Annual Survey
AGENCY: U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
ACTION: Notice and request for public comment.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the reinstatement of an expired information collection request (ICR) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). OSC is statutorily required under 5 U.S.C. § 1212(e) to conduct an annual survey assessing the effectiveness of its operations, including the handling of Prohibited Personnel Practice (PPP) complaints, whistleblower disclosures, and enforcement efforts. The collection gathers feedback from individuals who have sought OSC's assistance. This annual survey consists of four electronic questionnaires with up to 12 questions each, targeting individuals who have:
Filed a complaint or disclosure with OSC, or
Requested an advisory opinion from the Hatch Act Unit.
The survey assesses: • Timeliness and clarity of OSC communications, • The types of claims submitted and their review status, • Resolution outcomes, and • Overall satisfaction with OSC's processes.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before [INSERT DATE 60 DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to: • By mail: Barbara Wheeler Jones, U.S. Office of Special Counsel, 1730 M Street NW, Suite 218, Washington, D.C., 20036. • By email: frliaison@osc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hnin Khaing, Senior Litigation Counsel, at (202) 804-7000 or via email at frliaison@osc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OSC is an independent agency responsible for investigating allegations of prohibited personnel practices (PPPs) under 5 U.S.C. 2302(b), protecting whistleblowers, enforcing certain federal employment laws under Titles 5 and 38 of the U.S. Code, and overseeing compliance with the Hatch Act regarding political activities.
Pursuant to Section 13 of Public Law 103-424 (1994) (5 U.S.C. 1212 note), OSC is required to conduct an annual survey to evaluate its services. Specifically, the survey must:
Determine whether individuals seeking OSC’s assistance were fully informed of their rights.
Assess whether individuals achieved success either at OSC or the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
Evaluate the level of satisfaction of individuals with the treatment received from OSC, regardless of the outcome.
OSC publishes the survey results annually in its report to Congress. Prior annual reports are available at www.osc.gov or by calling (202) 804-7000. The prior OMB-approved survey (OMB Control Number 3255-0003) expired on September 30, 2024.
To comply with statutory requirements, OSC must complete the review of survey responses before the end of Fiscal Year 2025. Timely data collection is essential to OSC’s mission and reporting obligations to Congress.
INFORMATION COLLECTION DETAILS: Type of Information Collection Request: Reinstatement of an expired information collection.
Purpose: To assess whether individuals seeking OSC’s assistance were informed of their rights, were successful in their cases, and were satisfied with OSC’s service.
Affected Public: Individuals (or representatives) who sought OSC’s services by:
Filing complaints related to PPP, USERRA violations, or Hatch Act violations.
Submitting disclosures regarding violations of law, gross mismanagement, waste of funds, abuse of authority, dangers to public health/safety, or censorship related to scientific research.
Requesting advisory opinions from OSC’s Hatch Act Unit.
Respondent Obligation: Voluntary.
Estimated Respondents: Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes per response Estimated Annual Burden: 2700 respondents; 675 hours total
OSC INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT ON:
The necessity of the proposed information collection for OSC’s statutory functions.
The accuracy of the estimated burden, including the validity of underlying methodology and assumptions.
Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected.
Methods to minimize respondent burden, including automated collection techniques or other technology-based solutions.
DATE: February 20, 2025
Barbara Wheeler Jones Chief, Case Review Division U.S. Office of Special Counsel
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Wheeler, Barbara |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2025-02-22 |