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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Office of Special Counsel
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A quick definition of Office of Special Counsel:
Office of Special Counsel: A group of people who work for the government and investigate when someone breaks the rules for how government workers should behave. If they find out that someone did something wrong, they can take them to court. The Office of Special Counsel was created in 1978.
A more thorough explanation:
The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an independent federal agency that investigates and litigates activities that are prohibited by civil-service laws, rules, and regulations. It was established by Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978.
The OSC is responsible for protecting federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices, such as discrimination, retaliation, and nepotism. It also investigates violations of the Hatch Act, which limits the political activities of federal employees.
For example, if a federal employee is fired for reporting misconduct in their agency, they can file a complaint with the OSC. The OSC will investigate the complaint and, if warranted, take legal action to protect the employee's rights.
Another example is if a federal employee engages in political activity while on duty or in a government building. This would be a violation of the Hatch Act, and the OSC would investigate and take appropriate action.
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