(a) Any employee authorized to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action must not, with respect to this authority, take or threaten to take any action against any employee as a reprisal for making a complaint or for providing any information pursuant to this subpart.

(b) Employees who believe that they have been threatened with a personnel action, any other action, or harassment, or believe that they have been harmed by any action as a reprisal for having made a complaint or providing information pursuant to this subpart may request the Inspector General to review their allegations. Whenever the Inspector General has reason to believe that the allegations may be true, the Inspector General must refer the matter to the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) for appropriate action. The ASA may order a stay of any personnel action if the ASA determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the personnel action is being taken as a reprisal for making a complaint or for providing information pursuant to this subpart.