The Merit Systems Protection Board and the Transportation Security Administration have announced a new appeals system under which screeners and applicants may appeal alleged incidents of whistleblower reprisal to the MSPB.
Prior to the agreement, screeners only had recourse to the Office of Special Counsel, which could decide whether to intervene or not.
Under the new system, MSPB will adjudicate complaints seeking corrective and or disciplinary action filed by the Office of Special Counsel, according to a joint statement issued by the agencies.
It said the TSA would issue an internal management directive that contains further detailed information regarding the appeal rights of Transportation Security Officers and the procedures in force under the new system.
The American Federation of Government Employees offered qualified praise of the move.
"While these safeguards are an improvement to the current system, they fall short of affording TSOs full whistleblower protections," said AFGE president John Gage.
The union wants TSA workers to be able to appeal decisions to federal courts.
