ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title>Information on Hatch Act</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <META http-equiv="content-language" content="en"> <META name="rating" content="general"> <META name="description" content="Information on Hatch Act"> <META name="keywords" content="OSC, U.S. Office of Special Counsel, Hatch Act, federal government"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/haaboutrestandact.css" /> <!--[if IE]> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/haaboutrestandactIE.css" /> <![endif]--> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="ddlevelsfiles/ddlevelsmenu-base.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="ddlevelsfiles/ddlevelsmenu-topbar.css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="ddlevelsfiles/ddlevelsmenu-sidebar.css" /> <script type="text/javascript" src="ddlevelsfiles/ddlevelsmenu.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="js/jquery.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="js/jquery.innerfade.js"></script> <script language="JavaScript" src="scripts/printver.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/reset.css" type="text/css" media="all" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="css/fonts.css" type="text/css" media="all" /> </head> <body id="feature"> <div id="wrapper"> <div id="banner"> <p id="logo"><a href="http://www.osc.gov/"></a></p></div> <div id="topmenu" > <div id="ddtopmenubar" class="mattblackmenu" > <ul> <li><a href="index.htm" >Home</a></li> <li><a rel="menuabout" href="Intro.htm" >About</a></li> <li><a rel="menuFiling">Filing</a></li> <li><a rel="menuResources" href="readingroom.htm" >Resources</a></li> <li><a rel="menunews" href="headlines.htm" >News</a></li> <li><a rel="menuoutreach" href="outreach.htm" >Outreach / Training</a></li> <li><a rel="menucontact" href="contacts.htm" >Contacts</a></li> <li class="last"> <form id="searchform" action="/cgi-bin/ksearch/ksearch.cgi" method="get" name="search"> <input type="text" alt="Enter text to search" name="terms" id="s_text" /> <input type="submit" value="Search" class="submit" /></form></li> </ul> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> ddlevelsmenu.setup("ddtopmenubar", "topbar") //ddlevelsmenu.setup("mainmenuid", "topbar") </script> <!--Top Drop Down Menu about HTML--> <ul id="menuabout" class="ddsubmenustyle"> <li><a href="Intro.htm">Introduction to OSC</a></li> <li><a href="BiosandOrg.htm">Leadership Bios & Organization Chart</a></li> <li><a href="ppp.htm">Prohibited Personnel Practices</a></li> <li><a href="wbdisc.htm" >Whistleblower Disclosures</a></li> <li><a href="hatchact.htm" >Political Activity (Hatch Act)</a></li> <li><a href="userra.htm">USERRA</a></li> <li><a href="spanish.htm">En Espanol</a></li> </ul> <!--Top Drop Down Menu Filing HTML--> <ul id="menuFiling" class="ddsubmenustyle"> <li><a href="https://www.osc.gov/oscefile/">Filing Complaints Online</a></li> <li><a href="RR_OSCFORMS.htm">OSC Forms</a></li> </ul> <!--Top Drop Down Menu Resources HTML--> <ul id="menuResources" class="ddsubmenustyle"> <li><a href="readingroom.htm">Reading Room</a></li> <li><a href="publicfile1213agencyrpt.htm">Disclosure Public File 5 U.S.C. § 1213(c)</a></li> <li><a href="opengov.htm">Open Government</a></li> <li><a href="foia.htm" >Freedom of Information Act</a></li> <li><a href="nofearinfoandrpt.htm" >No fear Act Data</a></li> <li><a href="eeopolicystatement.htm">Special Counsel's EEO Policy Statement</a></li> <li><a href="infoquality.htm">Information Quality</a></li> <li><a href="about.htm">About this website</a></li> <li><a href="privacy.htm">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li><a href="sitemap.htm">website Index</a></li> <li><a href="access.htm">Accessibility</a></li> </ul> <!--Top Drop Down Menu News HTML--> <ul id="menunews" class="ddsubmenustyle"> <li><a href="headlines.htm">Headlines</a></li> <li><a href="press.htm">Press Releases</a></li> <li><a href="pressarchives.htm">Press Archives</a></li> </ul> <!--Top Drop Down Menu outreach HTML--> <ul id="menuoutreach" class="ddsubmenustyle"> <li><a href="outreach.htm">OSC Outreach Program and 2302(c) Certification Program</a></li> </ul> <!--Top Drop Down Menu contact HTML--> <ul id="menucontact" class="ddsubmenustyle"> <li><a href="contacts.htm">OSC Contacts</a></li> <li><a href="oscjobs.htm">Employment Opportunities</a></li> <li><a href="contractopport.htm">Contract Opportunities</a></li> <li><a href="otherlinks.htm">Other Government Links</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="print_box2_1p"> <a href="Javascript:PrinterPage();" > <img src="images/printf.gif" alt="Printer Friendly Page" border="0" align="right" > </a> </div> <br> <div id="contentstart"> <div id="side2"> <div id="box2_1p"> <h3>Penalties</h3> <div class="boxbkgray"> <a href="#" class="story"><span class="title">Penalties</span></a><p> On December 19, 2012, Congress passed the Hatch Act Modernization Act of 2012 (the Act). The Act modifies the penalty structure for violations of the Hatch Act by federal employees. The changes became effective on January 27, 2013. Under the modified penalty structure, an employee who violates the Hatch Act is subject to a range of disciplinary actions. This includes removal from federal service, reduction in grade, debarment from federal employment for a period not to exceed 5 years, suspension, reprimand, or a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000. (Before enactment of these amendments, an employee was subject to removal, or in some cases, a suspension of no less than 30 days for Hatch Act violations). The modified penalty structure applies to violations that occurred before, on, or after January 27, 2013, unless OSC has already initiated a complaint with the Merit Systems Protection Board as of that date, or an employee has already entered into a settlement agreement with OSC. </p> </div> <br> </div> </div> </div> <br> <div id="footer" > <span><img border="0" src="images/line2.gif" alt=" " width="100%" height="2"></span> <p align="center"><a href="about.htm">About This Site</a> | <a href="privacy.htm"> Privacy Policy</a> | <a href="sitemap.htm">Site Index</a> | <a href="access.htm"> Accessibility</a><br> <a href="https://www.osc.gov/oscefile">E-Filing</a> | <a href="spanish.htm">Para información en español</a></p> <div id="footerstart"><p align="right" style="font-size: 11px">Last Updated: 3/14/13</p> </div> </div> <div id="legal">&nbsp;</div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>