VA Whistleblower Oversight: GAO Finds Gaps and Missed Follow-Through

In this episode of Fed Gov Today with Francis Rose, we dive deep into how the Department of Veterans Affairs manages whistleblower cases. Tom Costa, Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security at the Government Accountability Office, joins the program to share GAO’s latest insights on recordkeeping, settlement tracking, and the need for stronger follow-through on corrective actions designed to protect whistleblowers.Costa discusses why whistleblower retaliation cases at VA have shifted since 2020, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and explains why differences between VA’s data and the Office of Special Counsel’s records raise important concerns. He also outlines challenges within VA’s authority structure, where the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection currently lacks the ability to oversee settlement implementation, slowing needed reforms.Francis and Tom examine GAO’s recommendations to improve VA’s oversight and strengthen coordination with OSC, while considering whether additional steps from Congress may be needed to ensure whistleblower protections are fully effective.Subscribe and listen to the Fed Gov Today Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at FedGovToday.com.