In crafting a proposed nondisclosure agreement for government-wide use (see related story), OPM cited as justification recent leaks, but an employee union and a law firm specializing in federal employment law say that the government already has rules against such disclosures and that the form will have a chilling effect on employees’ free speech rights.
“In much of the private sector, employees handling sensitive business or customer information are routinely required to sign confidentiality agreements, and the federal government should not be held to a lower standard,” OPM director Scott Kupor said in an announcement. “Americans should be able to trust that their personal data and sensitive government information are being handled responsibly. This proposal reinforces accountability across the federal workforce while helping agencies better protect against unauthorized disclosures.”
“This move is rooted in concerns that unauthorized disclosures of sensitive government information are disrupting agency operations and eroding trust across government,” an OPM spokeswoman said in an email to FEDweek.
Of particular concern are “recent leaks involving planned immigration enforcement operations, disclosures to the media about a confidential U.S. operation [in Venezuela] before it occurred, and the release of personal information belonging to roughly 4,500 ICE employees — including frontline officers. These leaks endangered agents, troops, and operational security,” she said.
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