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Whistleblower protections include refusing to violate rules and regulations

President Trump signs Follow the Rules Act

Posted June 16, 2017

On June 14, President Trump signed H.R. 657 into law. The “Follow the Rules Act” prohibits taking personnel action against a federal employee, or an applicant for federal employment, who refuses to obey an order that would violate a rule or regulation.

Congress intended the new Act to clarify its original intent regarding the purpose of the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, which protected employees from discipline for refusing to obey an order that would require breaking a law. A recent Supreme Court ruling found the word “law” referred only to a statute, not a rule or regulation; thus, the Follow the Rules Act was necessary to include rules and regulations in the Whistleblower protections.


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