OSC Annual Survey Supporting Statement B

U.S. Office of Special Counsel

2020 Annual Survey

Supporting Statement B

1. OSC is required by statute to conduct an annual survey pursuant to Section 13 of Public Law 103-424 (1994), codified at 5 U.S.C. 1212 note (copy attached). The proposed 2020 survey consists of four questionnaires asking up to 10 questions of individuals who have filed a complaint or disclosure with OSC, or who have sought advisory opinions from the Hatch Act Unit. The 2020 survey asks respondents about timeliness and clarity of communications; to identify their type of claims; the stage of review; whether their issue was resolved; and their satisfaction with the process.

2. Accordingly, OSC’s survey universe consists of all complainants and whistleblowers whose cases are pending, or who have sought advisory opinions from the Hatch Act Unit during the past fiscal year. OSC emailed out more than 4400 surveys for the OSC Pilot Program survey in 2019 and received 763 responses. OSC intends to distribute the 2020 survey via email and again expects a higher response rate than with the pre-2019 surveys.

3. As noted above, and in the main Supporting Statement, the statute directs that OSC conduct an annual survey, and that the survey universe consists of all persons who have contacted OSC for assistance during the preceding fiscal year.

4. Accordingly, we are not introducing sampling selection bias into the universe of potential respondents. As of 2019, OSC changed to an all-electronic survey. This method reduced the response-time burden.

5. As noted in Supporting Statement A, OSC estimates that each individual respondent will spend 5.5 minutes completing the survey, less than half the time spent on surveys before 2019. OSC has hence significantly reduced the burden on survey respondents.

6. To discuss testing, analysis, publication, and all other considerations of the survey other than its email distribution and collection by OSC’s information technology unit, please contact Amy Beckett in the Office of General Counsel, by email at abeckett@osc.gov, or by telephone at 202-804-7000.