Many federal laws protecting whistleblowers are administered by the United States Department of Labor (DOL). To begin the administrative process, complaints must be filed in writing and should be filed with the local OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) office of the DOL and/or mailed to:

U.S. Department of Labor

Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20210

The Department of Labor's local OSHA offices are the intake offices or "first stop" for many federal whistleblower claims by employees.  OSHA is also responsible for investigating complaints of retaliation by whistleblowers under many federal statutes. Usually, these OSHA offices can be found under the United States Government listing in your local telephone directory, under the heading of OSHA or Department of Labor. If you live in a small town or rural area, you may need to consult a directory from a nearby metropolitan area or your state capital.

However, there are many whistleblower and retaliation claims that are not filed with the Department of Labor or OSHA and must be timely filed with the proper government agency or court to protect the whistleblower's rights.

Click here to view a summary of the federal whistleblower laws and time limits for bringing claims.

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