And Department of Veterans Affairs officials say the agency’s new system to protect employees who report problems has won certification from a federal oversight agency.
In a separate action, the VA announced it has begun termination proceedings against Susan Taylor, the agency’s deputy chief procurement officer,
Last week, the VA inspector general said that Taylor has awarded an $80,000 contract to her lover, whose task was to work directly with her at the Washington D.C. VA office. The inspector general said that Taylor also helped FedBid, a Virginia firm, obtain a lucrative contract with the VA, and worked with the company to discredit the federal official who was working to expose the true costs of the contract. Taylor has said the inspector general’s report is full of mistakes.
The new whistleblower protection steps include a message to all VA employees about the importance of whistleblowers, and informing supervisors that they have a special responsibility to enforce all whistleblower protection laws.
“VA takes whistleblower complaints seriously and will not tolerate retaliation against those who raise issues, which may enable VA to better serve veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert McDonald who was appointed after the scandal broke with reports of fake data that hid long waits for veterans seeking medical care, especially first medical appointments.
The three whistleblowers given undisclosed case settlements worked at the VA Medical Center in Phoenix, where the long waits for care were particularly troublesome.
One of them, Paula Pedene, the Phoenix VA spokeswoman, was relegated to a basement office with little to do after she disclosed misconduct with the help of VA physician Sam Foote. The VA says she now has a new job as national program specialist for the communications office of the Veterans Health Administration.
Foote, who wasn’t part of the settlement, told NOLA.com/The Times-Picyaune that his VA bosses tried to make him out to be a lazy and ineffective doctor. He has since retired from the VA.
The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal investigative agency, worked to get Pedene and the two other VA whistleblowers financial settlements.
“The settlements allow these courageous employees to return to successful careers at the VA,” said Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner. “VA leadership is sending a clear message; whistleblowing should be encouraged not punished.”
