---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 407"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "407"
heading: "Complaints by employees"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/407"
units:
  - "Part I — The Agencies Generally"
  - "Chapter 4 — Inspectors General"
---

# §407. Complaints by employees

- (a) **Receipt and Investigation.—** The [Inspector General](/usc/5/401.md?p=4) may receive and investigate complaints or information from an [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1) of the [establishment](/usc/5/401.md?p=1) concerning the possible existence of an activity constituting a violation of law, rules, or regulations, or mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6), or a substantial and specific danger to the public health and safety.
- (b) **Prohibition on Disclosure of Identity.—** The [Inspector General](/usc/5/401.md?p=4) shall not, after receipt of a complaint or information from an [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1), disclose the identity of the [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1) without the consent of the [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1), unless the [Inspector General](/usc/5/401.md?p=4) determines the disclosure is unavoidable during the course of the investigation.
- (c) **Prohibition on Reprisal.—** Any [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1) who has [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6) to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action, shall not, with respect to that [authority](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-6), take or threaten to take any action against any [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1) as a reprisal for making a complaint or disclosing information to an [Inspector General](/usc/5/401.md?p=4), unless the complaint was made or the information disclosed with the knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard for its truth or falsity.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–286, § 3(b), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4224.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 407 | 5 U.S.C. App. (IGA § 7) | Pub. L. 95–452, § 7, Oct. 12, 1978, 92 Stat. 1105. |