Federal whistleblower law uses a different vocabulary and procedure from ordinary EEO retaliation.
The starting questions are: What did the employee disclose or do? Was it protected under the statute involved? Who knew? What personnel action followed? Which forum has authority?
OSC is a central route for many prohibited personnel practices
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel investigates prohibited personnel practice complaints and whistleblower matters within its authority. Keep the disclosure, evidence of who received it, personnel action, agency explanation, performance and discipline record, and OSC filings.
Individual Right of Action appeals
In qualifying whistleblower matters, an employee may obtain an Individual Right of Action route to the MSPB after satisfying the applicable OSC exhaustion requirements. Jurisdiction and exhaustion are technical. Preserve OSC closure notices, proof of receipt, and the exact claims presented to OSC.
Classified information requires special handling
Do not upload classified information through an ordinary online complaint channel. Federal employees dealing with classified or otherwise protected government information need to follow the authorized secure process.
EEO reprisal is not the same claim
A federal worker retaliated against for an EEO complaint may use the federal EEO framework. Whistleblower and prohibited-personnel-practice routes can overlap factually but use different legal elements and procedures.