• Who may file a request for corrective action with OARM?

  Individuals who may file a request for corrective action with OARM include current or former employees of, or applicants for employment with, the FBI who:

  • Believe that they have been subject to an unlawful reprisal for their whistleblowing activity; and
  • Have previously exhausted their Conducting Office remedies by filing a complaint of reprisal with either the Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility or the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General.
• Who may not file a request for corrective action with OARM?

  FBI employees in positions which the Attorney General has designated as being of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character (i.e., non-career positions) may not file requests for corrective action with OARM.

• How do I file a request for corrective action with OARM?

  You must timely file your written request for corrective action with OARM either:

  • By mail to: United States Department of Justice, Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management, 20 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Suite 5100, Washington, DC 20530; or
  • By facsimile to: (202) 307-3817 or (202) 514-0713.

  You may use OARM's Online Request for Corrective Action Form; however, any written format is acceptable.

• What must my request for corrective action contain?

  Your request for corrective action must be as specific and factually detailed as possible, and it must contain:

  Personal Information

  • Your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address, as well as that of your designated representative (if any);
  • Your signature and the signature of your designated representative (if any); and
  • The title and location of your current/former position at the FBI at the time you made your whistleblowing disclosure(s), including whether you are/were in a career or non-career position; or, if you are/were an applicant for employment with the FBI, the title of the position(s) for which you applied.

  Evidence of Exhaustion

  • Evidence that you sought corrective action involving the same protected disclosure(s) and personnel action(s) from the Conducting Office (i.e., either the Department of Justice's Office of Professional Responsibility or Office of the Inspector General), including the date on which you filed a reprisal complaint with the Conducting Office and an indication as to whether you received notice from the Conducting Office of its termination of its investigation of your reprisal claims.
  • If you received a letter from the Conducting Office notifying you of its termination of its investigation of your reprisal complaint, attach a copy of the date and first paragraph of the letter. Note that the Conducting Office's termination letter is not admissible in OARM proceedings without your consent; you may redact or refrain from submitting all portions other than the date and the statement identifying the letter as a termination letter.

  Your Reprisal Claim

  • A detailed description of your alleged whistleblowing disclosure(s), including the date of each disclosure and the name of each individual or office to whom each disclosure was made;
  • An indication as to whether you believe you made a disclosure that evidenced a violation of law, rule, or regulation; mismanagement; a gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; and/or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety;
  • A chronology of facts concerning each alleged personnel action taken (or not taken, or threatened to be taken or not taken) against you, including the date of each action and the name of the person(s) responsible for each action;
  • An explanation of why you believe the personnel action was taken (or not taken, or threatened to be taken or not taken) in reprisal for your whistleblowing activity and any supporting evidence you have; and
  • An indication as to whether the employee(s) who took (or did not take, or threatened to take or not take) the alleged personnel action(s) against you had knowledge of your disclosure (if so, specify the date on which you believe the employee(s) learned of your disclosure, and explain why you believe the employee(s) had knowledge of your disclosure).

  Relief Sought

  • An explanation of the specific remedy or relief sought.
• What if I find it necessary to submit to OARM classified and/or sensitive materials in support of my request for corrective action?

You should not file classified and/or sensitive information with your request for corrective action. However, in the event such information becomes necessary in proceedings before OARM, appropriate arrangements for the delivery, handling, and transmission of such materials must be in compliance with FBI and other applicable requirements regarding classified and/or sensitive materials.

• Am I obligated to notify the FBI of my request for corrective action?

  No. The Director of OARM shall notify the FBI of the receipt of your request for corrective action, and allow the FBI 25 calendar days to file a written response.