Effective immediately, Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) 666.32 and 666.35 are revised to clarify certain responsibilities of the Office of Inspector General when investigating allegations of reprisal for the release of information under the provisions of ELM 666.18.
Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM)
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6 Employee Relations
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660 Conduct
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666 Prohibited Personnel Practices
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666.3 Whistleblower Protection
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[Revise 666.32 as follows:]
666.32 Upon receipt of the allegations, the Office of Inspector General will conduct a preliminary review of the allegations. If the Office of Inspector General determines that the allegations warrant further review, a questionnaire may be sent to the complainant that must be completed and returned to the Office of Inspector General within 30 calendar days. The Office of Inspector General will review the completed questionnaire to determine whether it will investigate the allegations or decline further action.
If the Office of Inspector General declines to review allegations or terminates an investigation, it shall prepare and transmit to the complainant a written statement notifying the complainant of:
a. Its decision not to review allegations or to terminate an investigation; and
b. The reasons for declining to review allegations or for terminating an investigation.
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[Revise 666.35 as follows:]
666.35 Except when the Office of Inspector General declines to investigate or does not substantiate the complainant’s allegations under 666.32, no later than 120 days after the date of receiving complainant’s completed questionnaire under 666.32, the Office of Inspector General shall provide an investigative report to the Vice President, Labor Relations.
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We will incorporate the complete text of this revision into the next printed version of the ELM and into the online update available on the Postal Service PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.
n On the PolicyNet page, click Manuals.
(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)
— General Counsel,
Office of Inspector General, 4-21-11
