DoD Hotline - Whistleblower Reprisal Complaints

What is a Whistleblower Reprisal Complaint?

Reprisal occurs when a subject takes (or threatens to take) an unfavorable personnel action against an individual, or withholds (or threatens to withhold) a favorable personnel action because that individual made or was perceived to have made a protected communication or disclosure.

Filing a Whistleblower Reprisal Complaint

Whether an unfavorable action was taken or threatened, or a favorable action withheld or threatened to be withheld, is fact-dependent and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
We will evaluate your complaint of reprisal for the following three conditions, but these vary depending on employment status:

1. Did a protected communication or disclosure occur?
2. Did the subject(s) have knowledge of the protected communication/disclosure OR did the subject(s) believe a specific individual made a protected communication/disclosure, even if they did not?
3. Was an unfavorable action taken (or threatened), or was a favorable action withheld (or threatened to be withheld)?

Please submit documentation for each personnel action, if available.  We encourage you to read the applicable definitions and filing requirements specific to your employee status for more details.  For help with filing your specific complaint, refer to the following guides created to assist you.

• Service Members – How to File a Whistleblower Complaint
• Civilians – How to File a Whistleblower Complaint
• Contractors – How to File a Whistleblower Complaint
• Nonappropriated Fund Civilian Employee Whistleblower Reprisal Complaint – How to File a Whistleblower Complaint
   

File a Whistleblower Reprisal Complaint Online

Other Submittal Methods:

1.) Download one of the two forms below in PDF format:

• I Choose to Identify Myself for the Complaint
• I Choose to Submit the Complaint Anonymously

2.) Send your form to the DoD Hotline via: