CFR > Title 5 - Administrative Personnel > CHAPTER II—MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD > SUBCHAPTER A—ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES (parts 1200 to 1216) > PART 1209—PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES FOR APPEALS AND STAY REQUESTS OF PERSONNEL ACTIONS ALLEGEDLY BASED ON WHISTLEBLOWING > SUBPART A—Jurisdiction and Definitions (§1209.1 to §1209.4) > 1209.2—Jurisdiction.

1209.2—Jurisdiction.

(a) Under 5 U.S.C. 1214(a)(3), an employee, former employee, or applicant for employment may appeal to the Board from agency personnel actions alleged to have been threatened, proposed, taken, or not taken because of the appellant's whistleblowing activities.
(b) The Board exercises jurisdiction over:
(1) Individual right of action appeals. These are authorized by 5 U.S.C. 1221(a) with respect to personnel actions listed in § 1209.4(a) of this part that are allegedly threatened, proposed, taken, or not taken because of the appellant's whistleblowing activities. If the action is not otherwise directly appealable to the Board, the appellant must seek corrective action from the Special Counsel before appealing to the Board.

Code of Federal Regulations

Example: Agency A gives Mr. X a performance evaluation under 5 U.S.C. chapter 43 that rates him as “minimally satisfactory.” Mr. X believes that the agency has rated him “minimally satisfactory” because of his whistleblowing activities. Because a performance evaluation is not an otherwise appealable action, Mr. X must seek corrective action from the Special Counsel before appealing to the Board or before seeking a stay of the evaluation. If Mr. X appeals the evaluation to the Board after the Special Counsel proceeding is terminated or exhausted, his appeal is an individual right of action appeal.
(2) Otherwise appealable action appeals. These are appeals to the Board under laws, rules, or regulations other than 5 U.S.C. 1221(a) that include an allegation that the action was based on the appellant's whistleblowing activities. The appellant may choose either to seek corrective action from the Special Counsel before appealing to the Board or to appeal directly to the Board. (Examples of such otherwise appealable actions are listed in 5 CFR 1201.3 (a)(1) through (a)(19).)

Code of Federal Regulations

Example: Agency B removes Ms. Y for alleged misconduct under 5 U.S.C. 7513 . Ms. Y believes that the agency removed her because of her whistleblowing activities. Because the removal action is appealable to the Board under some law, rule or regulation other than 5 U.S.C. 1221(a) , Ms. Y may choose to file an appeal with the Board without first seeking corrective action from the Special Counsel or to seek corrective action from the Special Counsel and then appeal to the Board.
(3) Stays. Where the appellant alleges that a personnel action was or will be based on whistleblowing, the Board may, upon the appellant's request, order an agency to suspend that action.