A Vet strikes back? Veteran returns to work at VA after being fired over complaint to Mikulski.

2015-09-09T09:21:48-04:00

A disabled Army veteran who was fired from at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs office for seeking help from Sen. Barbara Mikulski about his paperwork being lost was scheduled to go back to work Tuesday, officials said.

The Office of Special Counsel, a government watchdog that investigates allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers, found that Bradie Frink was illegally fired after contacting Mikulski's office in 2013.

"The constitutional right to petition Congress must be guaranteed for all Americans," Special Counsel Carolyn Lerner said in a statement. "Federal agencies cannot deny their employees this right even if it leads to scrutiny of their operations."

Neither Frink nor the director of the Baltimore VA office could immediately be reached for comment.

The Office of Special Counsel released a 19-page report Tuesday documenting its findings into Frink's case. It was published as a part of an effort to shine a light on retaliation faced by federal employees who expose mismanagement and wrongdoing in the government.

When Frink was hired at the VA his own benefits claim records had to be transferred to another office so it would be handled impartially. But officials could not find the paperwork, stalling Frink's efforts to seek years of back payments he thought he was entitled to.

He sent Mikulski a letter asking for her help in June, at a time when the Baltimore VA benefits office faced heightened scrutiny after the Baltimore Sun reported that it was the worst performing in the country.

A month later, VA officials fired Frink, telling him that he had misused his identity badge; not followed instructions from his bosses; improperly taken time off; and threatened a colleague.

But the special counsel's office concluded that he was really terminated because of his efforts to enlist Mikulski's help, and that managers who were interviewed as part of the investigation provided testimony that was "inconsistent and lacked candor."

The investigators recommended disciplinary action against two supervisors in the VA office, but did not name them or describe the proposed sanctions.

http://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/veteran-returns-to-work-at-va-after-being-fired-over-complaint-to-mikulski-1.366937

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Sep 9 at 2015 9:25 AM

2015-09-09T09:25:50-04:00

It's unfortunate that this was a two year struggle for this employee. I don't know if there was adequate compensation for the many sleepless nights, the gastrointestinal problems, the anger, the defaulting on payments, like rent, etc.

Response by SGT Scott Bell made Sep 9 at 2015 9:26 AM

2015-09-09T09:26:05-04:00

Good for him

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 9 at 2015 10:51 AM

2015-09-09T10:51:02-04:00

And this is why I will never work for the VA.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Sep 9 at 2015 11:12 AM

2015-09-09T11:12:49-04:00

He will no doubt face a hostile work environment and eventually get fired for "some infraction or other" or quit in disgust...

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Sep 9 at 2015 11:14 AM

2015-09-09T11:14:42-04:00

No good deed goes unpunished.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 9 at 2015 3:13 PM

2015-09-09T15:13:46-04:00

My wife worked for the VA and was fired for heart problems. We fought them and won. The ironic thing was I was the OIC of Veterans Day in Indianapolis that year. They really threw my family into a mess.