Why We Did This Report
In April 2021, the EPA OIG received a complaint alleging that a former senior OIG official improperly disclosed the identity of an EPA employee who had submitted a complaint to the OIG Hotline.
Summary of Findings
Our investigation found that the former senior official disclosed the employee’s status as a hotline complainant during a meeting with EPA personnel, in violation of OIG procedure and the confidentiality protections afforded under section 7(b) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 407(b). The investigation did not find evidence that the disclosure was intentional. The former senior official had announced plans to retire before the OIG investigation began and subsequently retired, as planned, during the pendency of the investigation.