(a) Any employee who has authority to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action, shall not, with respect to such authority, take or threaten to take any action against any employee as a reprisal for making a complaint or providing any information pursuant to §§ 73.735-1301 and 73.735-1302. If the complaint was made or the information was disclosed with the knowledge that it was false, or with willful disregard of its truth or falsity, any personnel action taken against the employee based on those reasons would not constitute a reprisal action.

(b) An employee who believes that he or she has been threatened with a personnel action, any other action, or harassment or has been harmed by any action as a reprisal for having made a complaint or providing information pursuant to § 73.735-1301 or § 73.735-1302 may request the Office of the Inspector General to review his or her allegations. Whenever the Inspector General has reason to believe that the allegations may be true, he or she will refer the matter to the Assistant Secretary for Personnel Administration for appropriate action. The Assistant Secretary for Personnel Administration may order a stay of any personnel action if he or she determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the personnel action is being taken as a reprisal for making a complaint or providing information pursuant to § 73.735-1301 or § 73.735-1302.