The Office of Special Counsel is the independent federal agency that investigates allegations of Prohibited Personnel Practices (PPP) and seeks appropriate corrective action. The PPPs are a list of actions that federal employees are prohibited from engaging in by federal law. Committing a PPP may lead to disciplinary action. Please consult Your Rights as a Federal Employee for your rights and remedies regarding PPPs. The PPPs state that federal employees may not: Discriminate Solicit or consider employment recommendations based on factors other than personal knowledge or records of job related abilities or characteristics Coerce the political activity of any person Deceive or willfully obstruct any person from competing for employment Influence any person to withdraw from job competition Give an unauthorized preference or advantage to improve or injure the prospects of any particular person for employment Engage in nepotism Take or threaten to take a personnel action because of whistleblowing Take or threaten to take a personnel action because of the exercise of a lawful appeal, complaint, or grievance right Discriminate based on personal conduct which does not adversely affect the performance of the employee or other employees Knowingly take or fail to take personnel action in the violation of veteran's preference laws Violate any law, rule or regulation implementing or directly concerning merit system principles Implement or enforce a nondisclosure agreement or policy lacking notification of whistleblower rights Access the medical record of an employee or applicant, as part of, or in furtherance of any of the above-listed prohibitions Date last updated: 4/15/2020
