Whistleblower Bill Signed

President Bush has signed into law legislation (HR-169) to strengthen protections of federal employees under antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws. The measure: specifies information and training employees must be given regarding their rights under those laws; requires agencies to keep better track of the cases arising under those laws and the steps they take to discipline those who violate employee protections, and requires a study of whether to eliminate the requirement that employees bringing antidiscrimination complaints must first go through internal agency channels before bringing complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.