DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
810 Vermont Ave WASHINGTON, DC, 20420
Telephone: 800-488-8244 (Toll Free), FAX: 202-495-5861, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
53E/86/2015-31308
August 6, 2015 Dear Mrs. Malloy:
We encourage you to read this message in its entirety because it contains answers to questions you may have about your submission. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline received your submission on June 26, 2015; the reference number in our system is 2015-31308.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WILL i BE CONTACTED AGAIN BY THE OIG?
Within the next 6 weeks your information will be carefully reviewed by our Hotline Staff and other OIG subject matter experts to determine the appropriate course of action. We will contact you again only if we open a case or need additional information; therefore this may be the only correspondence you receive from our office.
Acceptance Criteria -The Hotline accepts tips or complaints that, on a select basis, result in reviews of:
⦁ VA-related criminal activity
⦁ Systematic patient safety issues
⦁ Gross mismanagement of waste of VA resources
⦁ Misconduct by senior VA officials
We recommend that if you are having ongoing health care, disability claim, or business disputes with VA, continue working with the responsible Department office while waiting to see if the OIG will open a case on your complaint.
CAN I CHECK THE STATUS OF MY SUBMISSION?
We cannot provide status reports or information regarding the disposition of submissions that do not result in cases. However, complaints that do not result in formal cases may be used in planning future OIG inspections and audits, or, if not confidential, referred to VA officials for their information.
IT HAS BEEN 6 WEEKS SINCE I SUBMITTED MY COMPLAINT AND I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE OIG. WHY WASN’T MY COMPLAINT ACCEPTED? WHAT CAN I DO NOW?
If we have not contacted you in 6 weeks, your complaint was not accepted for review because it does not meet one of the four criteria for acceptance or because another Government agency is better positioned to resolve the issue. Contact information for VA and other Government agencies that can help you is located on our website at http://www.va.qov/oia/hotline/faa.asp.
The OIG does not investigate complaints that are unrelated to VA programs and operations or issues, such as those listed below, that are addressed in other legal or administrative forums:
⦁ Allegations of whistleblower retaliation (This is because the OIG cannot provide direct relief to complainants in contrast to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel which can. Further information is available at https://osc.gov/Paqes/WhatWeDo.aspx or 1-800-872-2249.)
⦁ Claims for VA disability and pension benefits, and ratings, appeals, or home ioan issues » Claims for VA education benefits
⦁ Tort claims or other legal issue/case/claims
