# 2026-19332: DOE Tweaks Rules to Shield Contractor Whistleblowers Better 2026-19332, Revisions to the Office of Hearings and Appeals Procedural Regulations for the DOE Contractor Employee Protection Program, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Energy Department published 2026-09-22, effective Written comments on this proposed rule must be received on or before October 22, 2026. See section III, Public Participation, for details.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-29). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19332 - As of: 2026-09-29 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-19332 - Title: Revisions to the Office of Hearings and Appeals Procedural Regulations for the DOE Contractor Employee Protection Program - Type: Proposed Rule - Agencies: Energy Department - Citation: 91 FR 60007 - Published: 2026-09-22 - Effective: Written comments on this proposed rule must be received on or before October 22, 2026. See section III, Public Participation, for details. - Comments close: 2026-10-22 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: 1910-AA55 - Last updated: 2026-09-29 ## In one line DOE Tweaks Rules to Shield Contractor Whistleblowers Better ## Summary The Department of Energy is updating the rules that protect DOE contractor employees from retaliation by their employers. These changes make deadlines clearer, fix wording for fairness, and update official titles to keep things consistent. If you’re involved, you’ve got until October 22, 2026, to share your thoughts—no new costs or delays expected. ## Abstract The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) publishes a proposed rule to amend its regulations, which set forth the policies and procedures for resolving questions concerning protections for DOE contractor employees alleging retaliation by their employers. The proposed revisions would clarify deadlines and tolling practices throughout the regulation; make grammatical changes throughout the rule for consistency with national policies and DOE practices; and update references to DOE officials and offices in order to ensure clarity, consistency, and fairness in DOE's administration of the Contractor Employe Protection Program. ## Effects PRIA read - Encouraged ADR with Deadline Tolling: benefit, medium. The rule encourages use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and allows DOE to pause (toll) Part 708 filing deadlines while parties use ADR. DOE says this change will reduce Part 708 costs and increase processing efficiency and estimates about $250,000 in annual savings to the agency, with poten… - Investigations Extended to 90 Days: cost, medium. DOE would extend the time to issue a report of investigation from the 60th day to the 90th day. This means investigations may take up to 90 days before a report is issued, reflecting that investigations often require more time. - Broader Reimbursement for Complaint Costs: benefit, medium. DOE would clarify that allowable remedies can include "reasonable costs and expenses incurred in pursuing the complaint." If you win, you could be reimbursed for costs you paid while pursuing the complaint. - More Filing Flexibility and Tolling Rules: benefit, medium. The rule lets agency officials grant extensions to file or amend complaints for good reason and clarifies tolling when parties use internal grievance or arbitration procedures. For union-negotiated grievance-arbitration, the rule specifies tolling for 150 days after the grievance was initiated if n… - Confidential Documents Must Be Marked/Redacted: mixed, low. Parties submitting documents that contain trade secrets or confidential commercial or financial information must mark them as confidential and also submit a copy with the protected information redacted. This formalizes how to protect sensitive information in submissions. - Electronic Notice and Verified Email Allowed: benefit, low. The rule permits electronic notice methods by adding "verified email" (an email sent to the email address provided by a party) and allows electronic notices in appeals and other places. This makes filing and receiving notices easier electronically. - Limited Small-Business Economic Impact: benefit, low. DOE analyzed effects on small entities and concluded the proposed rule would not result in a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. DOE says few small entities are involved in Part 708 proceedings and obligations on litigants are largely unchanged. - Clarified Burden-Shifting Standard: benefit, medium. The rule spells out that a complainant can show protected activity was a contributing factor by proving the actor had knowledge and there was close timing, and then the burden shifts to the contractor to prove by clear and convincing evidence it would have taken the same action absent the protected… ## Related documents - [2026-19154](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19154): Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing, 2026-09-18 - [2026-17872](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17872): Rescission of Production Incentives for Cellulosic Biofuels, 2026-09-01 - [2026-13674](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13674): Energy Conservation Program: Procedures, Interpretations, and Policies for Consideration of New or Revised Energy Conservation Standards an…, 2026-07-07 - [2026-12475](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12475): Application for Authorization To Transmit Electric Energy to a Foreign Country, 2026-06-22 - [2026-11057](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11057): Rescinding Regulations for Loans for Minority Business Enterprises Seeking DOE Contracts and Assistance, 2026-06-03 - [2026-10729](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-10729): Zero-Based Regulating, 2026-05-29 ## Sources - [2026-19332 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/22/2026-19332/revisions-to-the-office-of-hearings-and-appeals-procedural-regulations-for-the-doe-contractor) - [2026-19332 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-22/pdf/2026-19332.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-19331, General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation; GSAR Implementation of…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19331) - [Next: 2026-19341, Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and South Atlantic; Snapper-Groupe…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19341) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19332 (as of 2026-09-29).