What to Report to the OIG Hotline
The OIG operates a hotline to receive and process allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse concerning DOL grants, contracts, programs and operations. The OIG also addresses allegations of criminal activity and serious misconduct involving DOL employees. Moreover the OIG has jurisdiction to investigate allegations of labor racketeering and organized crime influence in the workplace, including the misuse of union benefit plan assets or power, labor-management relations, and internal union affairs.
LABOR RACKETEERING
The use of a union, benefit plan (i.e. pension plan,) contractor, and/or industry for personal benefit by illegal means. This abuse may take the form of collusive arrangements between union officials and employers that occur at the expense of union members or corruption within the unions themselves. It also occurs when organized crime groups infiltrate unions.
Internal Union Corruption
• Criminal abuse of union power
• Extortion
• Improper collective bargaining agreements.
• False reports on ERISA required documents.
• The involvement of a member or associate of a traditional or non-traditional organized crime family or group, or a subject with a felony criminal history in a union.
• Use of union funds or property for acts of violence.
Improper Labor Management Relations
• Bribery
• Payoffs from management to corrupt union officials
• Coercion of employers by union officials
• Sweetheart deals
Employee Benefit Plan Fraud
• Embezzlement
• Kickbacks
• False reports to ERISA plan such as underreporting true number of participants in remittances to plans.
PROGRAM FRAUD
Unemployment insurance (UI) fraud
• Disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) fraud
• Identity theft
Department of Labor employee misconduct
Procurement fraud
• DOL contract fraud
• Embezzlement of Title Five funds
Grant fraud
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) fraud, theft or embezzlement
• Workforce development board misconduct/fraud
• National Emergency Grant fraud
Fraudulent Use of Office of Workers’ Compensation Benefits
• Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) fraud
• Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICP) fraud
• Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Program (DLHWCA) fraud
• Black Lung Benefits Act (Black lung) fraud
• Health care provider fraud
Foreign labor certification fraud
• DOL visa fraud
Job Corps fraud
• Theft of Job Corps funds
• One-Stop abuse
Worker health and workplace safety
Mine safety issues
Davis Bacon fraud
VETS issues
What Not to Report to the OIG Hotline
If you have any questions about DOL-related issues that do not involve fraud, waste, or abuse concerning DOL grants, programs, operations, or contracts, or if your concerns do not appear to be within the jurisdiction of the OIG, you can contact the US Department of Labor National Contact Center (DOL-NCC) for further assistance. The DOL-NCC can be reached at 1-866-4-USA-DOL (866-487-2365). The DOL-NCC provides nationwide toll-free information services to our customers with questions about employment, unemployment, wages, workplace safety and health, pension and health benefits, workplace injuries as well as all other general DOL related inquiries. In addition to answering general information inquiries, the DOL-NCC will refer any specific inquiry from the American public to the appropriate DOL office without delay.
Whistleblower Protection Page
