More Resources Letter from Secretary and IG FAQ for Fraud Prevention  MS Word (36K) Downloadable Hotline/Fraud Awareness Posters Outreach Presentation on Recovery Act Funds-State and Local Programs (April, 2009) PDF (1.75M) Contractor Business Ethics Compliance Program and Disclosure Form Privacy Policy Whistle Protection Act ARRA Whistleblower Protection ARRA Whistleblower Complaint Form Routine Uses Information

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline is available for anyone suspecting fraud, waste, or abuse involving U.S. Department of Education funds or programs to provide their concern to the OIG. Complaints or concerns received through the Hotline are evaluated, consistent with established agency performance measures published in the OIG Annual Plan, and may be referred for OIG investigation, audit, inspection or other review.

Not all complaints filed with the OIG will generate an investigation, audit or inspection by the OIG. Matters may be referred to another office within the U.S. Department of Education or to an external entity as appropriate.

The OIG Hotline does not provide updates for information regarding the status of complaints. for more information concerning OIG activities, please see the OIG's Semi-Annual report to Congress.

• Complaints may be submitted via e-mail 24 hours a day, seven days a week

  Click Here to Submit a Complaint

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If you prefer, you may contact the Inspector General's Hotline by:

• Calling the OIG Hotline's toll free number 1-800-MIS-USED. Hotline Operators take calls during the hours of Monday and Wednesday 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM, Eastern Time; Tuesday and Thursday, 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM, Eastern Time except for holidays.
  
   
• Downloading a hardcopy of the special complaint form, complete, and mail to:

           Inspector General's Hotline
           Office of Inspector General
           U.S. Department of Education
           400 Maryland Avenue,S.W.
           Washington, D.C. 20202-1500

Your report may be made anonymously or in confidence.

For Law Enforcement Agencies in need of immediate assistance, please contact the nearest OIG field office.

To report suspected fraud, waste or abuse involving other Inspector General agencies, click this link for a directory:
http://www.ignet.gov/igs/homepage1.html

The following form is only for a contractor who has credible evidence that a principal, employee, agent, or subcontractor of the Contractor has committed a violation of the civil False Claims Act or a violation of Federal criminal law involving fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, or gratuity violations in connection with the award, performance, or closeout of a contract or any related subcontract. Please fill out this form: Contractor Business Ethics Compliance Program and Disclosure Form, which is located above iin the Resource Box.

Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA)

The Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) protects Federal employees and applicants for employment who lawfully disclose information they reasonably believe is a violation of laws, rules, or regulations, gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority or a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. 5 U.S.C. § 2301(b)(9). Under the WPA, certain federal employees may not take or fail to take, or threaten to take or fail to take, any personnel action against an employee or applicant for employment because of the employee or applicant’s protected whistleblowing. 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8).

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an independent federal agency that investigates and prosecutes prohibited personnel practices by federal agencies, including whistleblower retaliation. If you believe you have been subject to retaliation for protected whistleblowing contact OSC, 1730 M Street, N.W., Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505, 202-254-3600 (Phone), 800-872-9855(Toll Free), 800-877-8339 (Federal Relay Service), www.osc.gov.

ARRA Whistleblower Protection

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), an employee of any non-Federal employer, such as a private company or a state or local government, who reports gross mismanagement, gross waste, substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, abuse of authority, or violation of law, rule, or regulation, relating to ARRA funds or contracts, may not be discharged, demoted or otherwise discriminated against because of his or her disclosure. This Act provides protection from reprisal only to non-Federal employees who report waste, fraud or abuse connected to the use of ARRA funds.

Under ARRA, the OIG has jurisdiction to investigate whistleblower complaints alleging reprisal for protected disclosures related to Department of Education ARRA funds. To file a complaint you must complete the ARRA Whistleblower Complaint Form which can be downloaded from the above More Resources box or the link below. Once you complete the form you have the option of sending it to the Hotline electronically, faxing or mailing. The appropriate addresses are posted on this website.

ARRA Whistleblower Complaint Form

Important: If you submit the form/complaint electronically, please make sure you include ARRA Whistleblower claim in the subject line of the e-mail.

Individuals wishing to report such activities may also contact the nearest OIG office at the following locations: