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"para_1" }, { "text": "for the Federal Circuit", "paragraph_id": "para_2" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_3" }, { "text": "BABATUNDE OGUNTADE,", "paragraph_id": "para_4" }, { "text": "Petitioner", "paragraph_id": "para_5" }, { "text": "v.", "paragraph_id": "para_6" }, { "text": "MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD,", "paragraph_id": "para_7" }, { "text": "Respondent", "paragraph_id": "para_8" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_9" }, { "text": "2025-1114", "paragraph_id": "para_10" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_11" }, { "text": "Petition for review of the Merit Systems Protection", "paragraph_id": "para_12" }, { "text": "Board in No. DC-1221-23-0169-W-1.", "paragraph_id": "para_13" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_14" }, { "text": "Decided: September 22, 2026", "paragraph_id": "para_15" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_16" }, { "text": "ALEXANDER EDISON HARDING, Finnegan, Henderson,", "paragraph_id": "para_17" }, { "text": "Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP, Washington, DC, ar-", "paragraph_id": "para_18" }, { "text": "gued for petitioner. Also represented by CHARLES COLLINS-", "paragraph_id": "para_19" }, { "text": "CHASE.", "paragraph_id": "para_20" }, { "text": "DEANNA SCHABACKER, Office of the General Counsel,", "paragraph_id": "para_21" }, { "text": "United States Merit Systems Protection Board, Washing-", "paragraph_id": "para_22" }, { "text": "ton, DC, argued for respondent. Also represented by", "paragraph_id": "para_23" }, { "text": "ALLISON JANE BOYLE, KATHERINE MICHELLE SMITH.", "paragraph_id": "para_24" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_25" }, { "text": "Before MOORE, Chief Judge, LOURIE and CUNNINGHAM,", "paragraph_id": "para_26" }, { "text": "Circuit Judges.", "paragraph_id": "para_27" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 1 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_28" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB2", "paragraph_id": "para_29" }, { "text": "Opinion for the court filed by Circuit Judge", "paragraph_id": "para_30" }, { "text": "CUNNINGHAM.", "paragraph_id": "para_31" }, { "text": "Concurring opinion filed by Circuit Judge LOURIE.", "paragraph_id": "para_32" }, { "text": "CUNNINGHAM, Circuit Judge.", "paragraph_id": "para_33" }, { "text": "Babatunde Oguntade petitions for review of a Merit", "paragraph_id": "para_34" }, { "text": "Systems Protection Board (“Board”) final order, which de-", "paragraph_id": "para_35" }, { "text": "nied his petition for review and affirmed the administra-", "paragraph_id": "para_36" }, { "text": "tive judge’s initial decision dismissing the appeal for lack", "paragraph_id": "para_37" }, { "text": "of jurisdiction. Oguntade v. Dep’t of Veterans Affs., No. DC-", "paragraph_id": "para_38" }, { "text": "1221-23-0169-W-1 (M.S.P.B. Aug. 23, 2024) (J.A. 1–7) (“Fi-", "paragraph_id": "para_39" }, { "text": "nal Order”); Oguntade v. Dep’t of Veterans Affs., No. DC-", "paragraph_id": "para_40" }, { "text": "1221-23-0169-W-1, 2023 WL 4551782 (M.S.P.B. July 14,", "paragraph_id": "para_41" }, { "text": "2023) (J.A. 12–34) (“Initial Decision”).1 For the reasons be-", "paragraph_id": "para_42" }, { "text": "low, we reverse.", "paragraph_id": "para_43" }, { "text": "I. BACKGROUND", "paragraph_id": "para_44" }, { "text": "In October 2020, Dr. Oguntade began serving as a", "paragraph_id": "para_45" }, { "text": "Presidential Innovation Fellow assigned to the Office of the", "paragraph_id": "para_46" }, { "text": "Chief Technology Officer at the Department of Veterans Af-", "paragraph_id": "para_47" }, { "text": "fairs (“VA”). Initial Decision at 2; J.A. 71. Dr. Oguntade’s", "paragraph_id": "para_48" }, { "text": "task was to “help reduce the time it takes Veterans to get", "paragraph_id": "para_49" }, { "text": "a decision on their disability benefits application.” J.A. 71.", "paragraph_id": "para_50" }, { "text": "Specifically, Dr. Oguntade was assigned to update the", "paragraph_id": "para_51" }, { "text": "“Claims Attribute Application Programming Interface”", "paragraph_id": "para_52" }, { "text": "(“CAAPI”), an artificial intelligence (“AI”) tool. Initial De-", "paragraph_id": "para_53" }, { "text": "cision at 2–5; J.A. 254, 258.", "paragraph_id": "para_54" }, { "text": "Zachary Goldfine, the Deputy Chief Technology Officer", "paragraph_id": "para_55" }, { "text": "of the VA Office Benefits Team, estimated that, when", "paragraph_id": "para_56" }, { "text": "claims are processed without AI, it takes a veteran approx-", "paragraph_id": "para_57" }, { "text": "imately 100 days to learn whether the veteran will receive", "paragraph_id": "para_58" }, { "text": "1 Citations in this opinion to the Board’s decisions", "paragraph_id": "para_59" }, { "text": "are to the versions included in the Joint Appendix, ECF 23.", "paragraph_id": "para_60" }, { "text": "For example, Initial Decision at 1 is found at J.A. 12, and", "paragraph_id": "para_61" }, { "text": "Final Order at 1 is found at J.A. 1.", "paragraph_id": "para_62" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 2 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_63" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB 3", "paragraph_id": "para_64" }, { "text": "assistance. Initial Decision at 3, 10; J.A. 269, 356. Using", "paragraph_id": "para_65" }, { "text": "the CAAPI tool, the agency sought to reduce decision wait-", "paragraph_id": "para_66" }, { "text": "time by three to five days. Initial Decision at 10; J.A. 268;", "paragraph_id": "para_67" }, { "text": "see J.A. 71. The VA also touted $1.5 million in savings in", "paragraph_id": "para_68" }, { "text": "“direct labor cost.” J.A. 357.", "paragraph_id": "para_69" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade sought to verify these assertions and", "paragraph_id": "para_70" }, { "text": "communicated to Mr. Goldfine in January 2021 that", "paragraph_id": "para_71" }, { "text": "CAAPI was “giving wrong predictions” and potentially af-", "paragraph_id": "para_72" }, { "text": "fecting processing time. Initial Decision at 5; J.A. 113. Af-", "paragraph_id": "para_73" }, { "text": "ter receiving information about approximately 120,000", "paragraph_id": "para_74" }, { "text": "claims, Dr. Oguntade “was able to verify on a small but sta-", "paragraph_id": "para_75" }, { "text": "tistically significant dataset” that the assertions about", "paragraph_id": "para_76" }, { "text": "CAAPI “were not tethered to the truth.” J.A. 71–72.", "paragraph_id": "para_77" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade communicated these findings to Mr. Gold-", "paragraph_id": "para_78" }, { "text": "fine on March 3 and 4, 2021 (“March Disclosures”). J.A. 72.", "paragraph_id": "para_79" }, { "text": "Further statistical analysis on a larger dataset of 716,000", "paragraph_id": "para_80" }, { "text": "claims provided the same conclusions. J.A. 72. Dr. Ogun-", "paragraph_id": "para_81" }, { "text": "tade noted his belief that, instead of improving processing", "paragraph_id": "para_82" }, { "text": "time, CAAPI “was slowing down the processing of claims", "paragraph_id": "para_83" }, { "text": "by 5 days on average and 9 weeks in the case of complicated", "paragraph_id": "para_84" }, { "text": "submissions.” J.A. 71; see J.A. 254–59. On April 8, 2021,", "paragraph_id": "para_85" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade wrote a blogpost about CAAPI’s behavior", "paragraph_id": "para_86" }, { "text": "(“April Disclosure”), which was approved for publication by", "paragraph_id": "para_87" }, { "text": "the VA and published on May 13, 2021. J.A. 256;", "paragraph_id": "para_88" }, { "text": "J.A. 279–88; see J.A. 72. After authoring the blogpost,", "paragraph_id": "para_89" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade was informed that his term at the VA would", "paragraph_id": "para_90" }, { "text": "not be renewed for a second year. J.A. 72.", "paragraph_id": "para_91" }, { "text": "CAAPI was repackaged into a new version and “put in", "paragraph_id": "para_92" }, { "text": "production” in April 2021. J.A. 256–57. Dr. Oguntade de-", "paragraph_id": "para_93" }, { "text": "scribed this “CAAPIv2.0” as “unchanged in any way with", "paragraph_id": "para_94" }, { "text": "two additional features” and specifically “without any mod-", "paragraph_id": "para_95" }, { "text": "ification to the classifier that underpins the API.” J.A. 72;", "paragraph_id": "para_96" }, { "text": "J.A. 257. CAAPIv2.0 thus contained the same alleged pro-", "paragraph_id": "para_97" }, { "text": "pensity for error identified in his March Disclosures. See", "paragraph_id": "para_98" }, { "text": "J.A. 256–57. On May 20, 2021, Dr. Oguntade escalated the", "paragraph_id": "para_99" }, { "text": "situation to Mr. Goldfine’s superior and Chief Technology", "paragraph_id": "para_100" }, { "text": "Officer, Charles Worthington (“May Disclosure”). J.A. 73;", "paragraph_id": "para_101" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 3 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_102" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB4", "paragraph_id": "para_103" }, { "text": "J.A. 133. Eventually, CAAPI was deactivated on July 1,", "paragraph_id": "para_104" }, { "text": "2021, “pending further research and improvements” be-", "paragraph_id": "para_105" }, { "text": "cause “the model underlying the Claims Attributes API", "paragraph_id": "para_106" }, { "text": "likely does not reduce Veteran benefit decision wait times.”", "paragraph_id": "para_107" }, { "text": "J.A. 256–57; J.A. 73. On July 2, 2021, Mr. Worthington", "paragraph_id": "para_108" }, { "text": "recommended that Dr. Oguntade’s contract with the VA be", "paragraph_id": "para_109" }, { "text": "terminated, and he was removed from his position on", "paragraph_id": "para_110" }, { "text": "July 7, 2021, despite a rating of “Fully Successful” on his", "paragraph_id": "para_111" }, { "text": "annual performance review. J.A. 73; J.A. 380.", "paragraph_id": "para_112" }, { "text": "After filing a complaint with the Office of Special Coun-", "paragraph_id": "para_113" }, { "text": "sel (“OSC”), see J.A. 55; J.A. 71–98, Dr. Oguntade filed an", "paragraph_id": "para_114" }, { "text": "individual right of action (“IRA”) appeal to the Board, ar-", "paragraph_id": "para_115" }, { "text": "guing that his removal was due to his whistleblower com-", "paragraph_id": "para_116" }, { "text": "plaint about CAAPI, J.A. 59; see J.A. 42–46. The VA moved", "paragraph_id": "para_117" }, { "text": "to dismiss Dr. Oguntade’s appeal, J.A. 391–425, and the", "paragraph_id": "para_118" }, { "text": "Board dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, Initial Decision", "paragraph_id": "para_119" }, { "text": "at 1, 15. Specifically, the Board determined that Dr. Ogun-", "paragraph_id": "para_120" }, { "text": "tade failed to make nonfrivolous allegations that he had a", "paragraph_id": "para_121" }, { "text": "reasonable belief that the contents of his disclosures evi-", "paragraph_id": "para_122" }, { "text": "denced any of the following under 5 U.S.C.", "paragraph_id": "para_123" }, { "text": "§ 2302(b)(8)(A): a violation of a law, rule, or regulation;", "paragraph_id": "para_124" }, { "text": "gross mismanagement; an abuse of authority; substantial", "paragraph_id": "para_125" }, { "text": "and specific danger to public health or safety; or gross", "paragraph_id": "para_126" }, { "text": "waste of funds. Id. at 12–15. The Board denied Dr. Ogun-", "paragraph_id": "para_127" }, { "text": "tade’s petition for review and affirmed the initial decision,", "paragraph_id": "para_128" }, { "text": "adopting it as the Board’s final decision. Final Order", "paragraph_id": "para_129" }, { "text": "at 1–2.", "paragraph_id": "para_130" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade timely petitioned for review in this court.", "paragraph_id": "para_131" }, { "text": "We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(9).", "paragraph_id": "para_132" }, { "text": "II. STANDARD OF REVIEW", "paragraph_id": "para_133" }, { "text": "We will set aside any action, findings, or conclusions of", "paragraph_id": "para_134" }, { "text": "the Board that are: “(1) arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of", "paragraph_id": "para_135" }, { "text": "discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law; (2) ob-", "paragraph_id": "para_136" }, { "text": "tained without procedures required by law, rule, or regula-", "paragraph_id": "para_137" }, { "text": "tion having been followed; or (3) unsupported by", "paragraph_id": "para_138" }, { "text": "substantial evidence.” 5 U.S.C. § 7703(c); Brenner v. Dep’t", "paragraph_id": "para_139" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 4 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_140" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB 5", "paragraph_id": "para_141" }, { "text": "of Veterans Affs., 990 F.3d 1313, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 2021)", "paragraph_id": "para_142" }, { "text": "(quoting 5 U.S.C. § 7703(c)(1)–(3)). “Whether the Board", "paragraph_id": "para_143" }, { "text": "lacked jurisdiction is a legal question that we decide de", "paragraph_id": "para_144" }, { "text": "novo.” Mouton-Miller v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd., 985 F.3d 864,", "paragraph_id": "para_145" }, { "text": "868 (Fed. Cir. 2021).", "paragraph_id": "para_146" }, { "text": "III. DISCUSSION", "paragraph_id": "para_147" }, { "text": "The Board has jurisdiction over an IRA appeal under", "paragraph_id": "para_148" }, { "text": "the Whistleblower Protection Act (“WPA”), as amended by", "paragraph_id": "para_149" }, { "text": "the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, if the ap-", "paragraph_id": "para_150" }, { "text": "pellant has exhausted his administrative remedies before", "paragraph_id": "para_151" }, { "text": "the OSC2 and makes nonfrivolous allegations that (1) he", "paragraph_id": "para_152" }, { "text": "made a protected disclosure covered by 5 U.S.C.", "paragraph_id": "para_153" }, { "text": "§ 2302(b)(8); and (2) the disclosure was a contributing fac-", "paragraph_id": "para_154" }, { "text": "tor in a personnel action prohibited under the statute.", "paragraph_id": "para_155" }, { "text": "5 U.S.C. § 1221(e)(1); Hessami v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd.,", "paragraph_id": "para_156" }, { "text": "979 F.3d 1362, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2020). A protected disclo-", "paragraph_id": "para_157" }, { "text": "sure under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8) is “any disclosure of infor-", "paragraph_id": "para_158" }, { "text": "mation,” which the employee “reasonably believes", "paragraph_id": "para_159" }, { "text": "evidences . . . (i) any violation of any law, rule, or regula-", "paragraph_id": "para_160" }, { "text": "tion, or (ii) gross mismanagement, a gross waste of funds,", "paragraph_id": "para_161" }, { "text": "an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger", "paragraph_id": "para_162" }, { "text": "to public health or safety.” 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8); Hessami,", "paragraph_id": "para_163" }, { "text": "979 F.3d at 1367.", "paragraph_id": "para_164" }, { "text": "In determining Board jurisdiction over a whistleblower", "paragraph_id": "para_165" }, { "text": "action, “the question of whether the appellant has non-friv-", "paragraph_id": "para_166" }, { "text": "olously alleged protected disclosures that contributed to a", "paragraph_id": "para_167" }, { "text": "personnel action must be determined based on whether the", "paragraph_id": "para_168" }, { "text": "employee alleged sufficient factual matter, accepted as", "paragraph_id": "para_169" }, { "text": "true, to state a claim that is plausible on its face.” Hessami,", "paragraph_id": "para_170" }, { "text": "979 F.3d at 1369. “Nonfrivolous allegations are allegations", "paragraph_id": "para_171" }, { "text": "that are not vague, conclusory, or facially insufficient, and", "paragraph_id": "para_172" }, { "text": "2 “Neither party disputes that the claims raised be-", "paragraph_id": "para_173" }, { "text": "fore the Board were exhausted before [the] OSC.” Respond-", "paragraph_id": "para_174" }, { "text": "ent’s Br. 10 n.3; see Petitioner’s Br. 12.", "paragraph_id": "para_175" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 5 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_176" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB6", "paragraph_id": "para_177" }, { "text": "that the petitioner reasonably believes to be true.” Sadler", "paragraph_id": "para_178" }, { "text": "v. Dep’t of the Army, 129 F.4th 1339, 1345 (Fed. Cir. 2025)", "paragraph_id": "para_179" }, { "text": "(citing Piccolo v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd., 869 F.3d 1369, 1371", "paragraph_id": "para_180" }, { "text": "(Fed. Cir. 2017)); 5 C.F.R. § 1201.4(s) (“A nonfrivolous alle-", "paragraph_id": "para_181" }, { "text": "gation is an assertion that, if proven, could establish the", "paragraph_id": "para_182" }, { "text": "matter at issue” and is “more than conclusory,” “plausible", "paragraph_id": "para_183" }, { "text": "on its face,” and “material to the legal issues in the ap-", "paragraph_id": "para_184" }, { "text": "peal.”).", "paragraph_id": "para_185" }, { "text": "The government argues that Dr. Oguntade did not pre-", "paragraph_id": "para_186" }, { "text": "serve his claim based on the April and May Disclosures,", "paragraph_id": "para_187" }, { "text": "Respondent’s Br. 11–13, and otherwise failed to allege a", "paragraph_id": "para_188" }, { "text": "nonfrivolous disclosure, id. at 13–31. Dr. Oguntade argues", "paragraph_id": "para_189" }, { "text": "that he sufficiently pled the April and May Disclosures, Pe-", "paragraph_id": "para_190" }, { "text": "titioner’s Reply Br. 6–13; see Petitioner’s Opening", "paragraph_id": "para_191" }, { "text": "Br. 19–22, and that the Board erred in dismissing for lack", "paragraph_id": "para_192" }, { "text": "of jurisdiction because he made protected disclosures suffi-", "paragraph_id": "para_193" }, { "text": "cient to establish jurisdiction, Petitioner’s Br. 16–36. We", "paragraph_id": "para_194" }, { "text": "agree with Dr. Oguntade on both counts.", "paragraph_id": "para_195" }, { "text": "A.", "paragraph_id": "para_196" }, { "text": "Before addressing the substance of Dr. Oguntade’s dis-", "paragraph_id": "para_197" }, { "text": "closures, we determine which of his disclosures we may", "paragraph_id": "para_198" }, { "text": "properly consider. The government argues that we should", "paragraph_id": "para_199" }, { "text": "only consider Dr. Oguntade’s March Disclosures because", "paragraph_id": "para_200" }, { "text": "his April and May Disclosures were not preserved before", "paragraph_id": "para_201" }, { "text": "the Board and are “outside the scope” of this petition for", "paragraph_id": "para_202" }, { "text": "review.3 Respondent’s Br. 11–13. We disagree.", "paragraph_id": "para_203" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade pled the April and May Disclosures suf-", "paragraph_id": "para_204" }, { "text": "ficiently to preserve the arguments before this court. Peti-", "paragraph_id": "para_205" }, { "text": "tioners challenging “an administrative agency decision", "paragraph_id": "para_206" }, { "text": "may not raise claims for the first time on appeal.” Conant", "paragraph_id": "para_207" }, { "text": "v. Off. of Pers. Mgmt., 255 F.3d 1371, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2001);", "paragraph_id": "para_208" }, { "text": "3 Proceeding pro se before the OSC and the Board,", "paragraph_id": "para_209" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade explicitly identified his March Disclosures as", "paragraph_id": "para_210" }, { "text": "alleged protected disclosures at issue. J.A. 71; J.A. 254.", "paragraph_id": "para_211" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 6 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_212" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB 7", "paragraph_id": "para_213" }, { "text": "see also id. (“[T]he issue must be raised with sufficient spec-", "paragraph_id": "para_214" }, { "text": "ificity and clarity that the tribunal is aware that it must", "paragraph_id": "para_215" }, { "text": "decide the issue, and in sufficient time that the agency can", "paragraph_id": "para_216" }, { "text": "do so.” (quoting Wallace v. Dep’t of the Air Force, 879 F.2d", "paragraph_id": "para_217" }, { "text": "829, 832 (Fed. Cir. 1989))). However, we hold the pleadings", "paragraph_id": "para_218" }, { "text": "of pro se litigants to “less stringent standards than formal", "paragraph_id": "para_219" }, { "text": "pleadings drafted by lawyers.” Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S.", "paragraph_id": "para_220" }, { "text": "519, 520 (1972).", "paragraph_id": "para_221" }, { "text": "As the government concedes, Dr. Oguntade mentioned", "paragraph_id": "para_222" }, { "text": "the April blogpost and May communication with", "paragraph_id": "para_223" }, { "text": "Mr. Worthington in his response to the administrative", "paragraph_id": "para_224" }, { "text": "judge’s order on jurisdiction, even if “he did not character-", "paragraph_id": "para_225" }, { "text": "ize them as disclosures.” Respondent’s Br. 11–12;", "paragraph_id": "para_226" }, { "text": "J.A. 256–57 (discussing April blogpost and pushback from", "paragraph_id": "para_227" }, { "text": "Mr. Goldfine); J.A. 258 (“I was told that my term at the VA", "paragraph_id": "para_228" }, { "text": "would not be renewed for another year because I did not", "paragraph_id": "para_229" }, { "text": "change the results of my findings to fit the prevailing nar-", "paragraph_id": "para_230" }, { "text": "rative in my blog.”); J.A. 257 (discussing meeting with", "paragraph_id": "para_231" }, { "text": "Mr. Worthington). Dr. Oguntade also previously men-", "paragraph_id": "para_232" }, { "text": "tioned these April and May Disclosures in his forms sub-", "paragraph_id": "para_233" }, { "text": "mitted to the OSC. J.A. 72, 97 (discussing blog); J.A. 73,", "paragraph_id": "para_234" }, { "text": "98 (“It became apparent that the old product branded as", "paragraph_id": "para_235" }, { "text": "CAAPIv2.0 was going to remain in production no matter", "paragraph_id": "para_236" }, { "text": "what so I had to escalate the problem to Charles Worthing-", "paragraph_id": "para_237" }, { "text": "ton[.]”). Accordingly, Dr. Oguntade raised the issue of his", "paragraph_id": "para_238" }, { "text": "April and May Disclosures with “sufficient specificity and", "paragraph_id": "para_239" }, { "text": "clarity” to make the Board aware that it must decide the", "paragraph_id": "para_240" }, { "text": "issue, and the April and May Disclosures are within the", "paragraph_id": "para_241" }, { "text": "scope of this petition for review. Conant, 255 F.3d at 1375.", "paragraph_id": "para_242" }, { "text": "B.", "paragraph_id": "para_243" }, { "text": "Next, we turn to the substance of Dr. Oguntade’s dis-", "paragraph_id": "para_244" }, { "text": "closures. First, Dr. Oguntade argues that he nonfrivo-", "paragraph_id": "para_245" }, { "text": "lously alleged a reasonable belief that his disclosures", "paragraph_id": "para_246" }, { "text": "evidenced gross mismanagement by the VA. Petitioner’s", "paragraph_id": "para_247" }, { "text": "Br. 16–22. Second, he argues that he nonfrivolously al-", "paragraph_id": "para_248" }, { "text": "leged a reasonable belief that his disclosures evidenced a", "paragraph_id": "para_249" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 7 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_250" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB8", "paragraph_id": "para_251" }, { "text": "gross waste of funds by the VA. Id. at 22–27. We address", "paragraph_id": "para_252" }, { "text": "each argument in turn.", "paragraph_id": "para_253" }, { "text": "i.", "paragraph_id": "para_254" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade argues that he nonfrivolously alleged a", "paragraph_id": "para_255" }, { "text": "reasonable belief that his disclosures evidenced gross mis-", "paragraph_id": "para_256" }, { "text": "management by the VA. We agree.", "paragraph_id": "para_257" }, { "text": "An agency may not retaliate against an employee for", "paragraph_id": "para_258" }, { "text": "making a disclosure of information that he “reasonably be-", "paragraph_id": "para_259" }, { "text": "lieves evidences . . . gross mismanagement.” 5 U.S.C.", "paragraph_id": "para_260" }, { "text": "§ 2302(b)(8)(A)(ii). “A belief is reasonable if a disinterested", "paragraph_id": "para_261" }, { "text": "observer with knowledge of the essential facts could reach", "paragraph_id": "para_262" }, { "text": "the same conclusion.” Smolinski v. Merit Sys. Prot. Bd.,", "paragraph_id": "para_263" }, { "text": "23 F.4th 1345, 1350 (Fed. Cir. 2022). “Mere differences of", "paragraph_id": "para_264" }, { "text": "opinion between an employee and his agency superiors as", "paragraph_id": "para_265" }, { "text": "to the proper approach to a particular problem or the most", "paragraph_id": "para_266" }, { "text": "appropriate course of action do not rise to the level of gross", "paragraph_id": "para_267" }, { "text": "mismanagement.” White v. Dep’t of Air Force, 391 F.3d", "paragraph_id": "para_268" }, { "text": "1377, 1381 (Fed. Cir. 2004). “Rather, for a lawful agency", "paragraph_id": "para_269" }, { "text": "policy to constitute ‘gross mismanagement,’ an employee", "paragraph_id": "para_270" }, { "text": "must disclose such serious errors by the agency that a con-", "paragraph_id": "para_271" }, { "text": "clusion the agency erred is not debatable among reasonable", "paragraph_id": "para_272" }, { "text": "people. The matter must also be significant.” Id. at 1382", "paragraph_id": "para_273" }, { "text": "(footnote omitted). “[W]here a dispute is in the nature of a", "paragraph_id": "para_274" }, { "text": "policy dispute, ‘gross mismanagement’ requires that a", "paragraph_id": "para_275" }, { "text": "claimed agency error in the adoption of, or continued ad-", "paragraph_id": "para_276" }, { "text": "herence to, a policy be a matter that is not debatable among", "paragraph_id": "para_277" }, { "text": "reasonable people.” Id. at 1383. At the jurisdictional", "paragraph_id": "para_278" }, { "text": "stage, however, whether a petitioner has nonfrivolously al-", "paragraph_id": "para_279" }, { "text": "leged a protected disclosure “must be determined based on", "paragraph_id": "para_280" }, { "text": "whether the employee alleged sufficient factual matter, ac-", "paragraph_id": "para_281" }, { "text": "cepted as true, to state a claim that is plausible on its face.”", "paragraph_id": "para_282" }, { "text": "Hessami, 979 F.3d at 1369. “The Board may not deny ju-", "paragraph_id": "para_283" }, { "text": "risdiction by crediting the agency’s interpretation of the ev-", "paragraph_id": "para_284" }, { "text": "idence as to whether the alleged disclosures fell within the", "paragraph_id": "para_285" }, { "text": "protected categories[.]” Id.", "paragraph_id": "para_286" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 8 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_287" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB 9", "paragraph_id": "para_288" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade plausibly alleged that he reasonably be-", "paragraph_id": "para_289" }, { "text": "lieved that the VA’s continued use of CAAPI on live claims4", "paragraph_id": "para_290" }, { "text": "without modifying the error-prone “classifier,” J.A. 257, de-", "paragraph_id": "para_291" }, { "text": "spite his repeated warnings, was slowing down claims pro-", "paragraph_id": "para_292" }, { "text": "cessing and evidenced a serious error by the agency not", "paragraph_id": "para_293" }, { "text": "debatable among reasonable people. In March 2021,", "paragraph_id": "para_294" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade performed statistical analyses and disclosed", "paragraph_id": "para_295" }, { "text": "to Mr. Goldfine that, based on these tests, CAAPI was slow-", "paragraph_id": "para_296" }, { "text": "ing claims processing. J.A. 254; see J.A. 264–65; Initial De-", "paragraph_id": "para_297" }, { "text": "cision at 3, 6. Dr. Oguntade’s April Disclosure, the", "paragraph_id": "para_298" }, { "text": "blogpost, further supported this contention. See J.A. 283", "paragraph_id": "para_299" }, { "text": "(“It took 5–7 days longer for AI established claims to be", "paragraph_id": "para_300" }, { "text": "fully developed in comparison to claims established", "paragraph_id": "para_301" }, { "text": "through the manual method.”). Additionally, Dr. Ogun-", "paragraph_id": "para_302" }, { "text": "tade’s follow-up on benchmarking metrics could have led to", "paragraph_id": "para_303" }, { "text": "a reasonable belief that the agency was not sufficiently", "paragraph_id": "para_304" }, { "text": "evaluating CAAPI and its efficacy. See J.A. 271 (Mr. Gold-", "paragraph_id": "para_305" }, { "text": "fine’s answer in March 2021 that the metric touting days", "paragraph_id": "para_306" }, { "text": "of time saved relied on comparison to an average in a 2018", "paragraph_id": "para_307" }, { "text": "analysis by the Office of Business Integration, not a calcu-", "paragraph_id": "para_308" }, { "text": "lation or continuous evaluation); J.A. 76 (alleging “[n]o", "paragraph_id": "para_309" }, { "text": "benchmarks were set” after 2019 rollout of CAAPIv1.0 and", "paragraph_id": "para_310" }, { "text": "“the product was used by two vendors for about 18 months", "paragraph_id": "para_311" }, { "text": "without stopping to check if it was conferring benefits on", "paragraph_id": "para_312" }, { "text": "Veterans”); see also Initial Decision at 6. Despite", "paragraph_id": "para_313" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade’s March and April Disclosures and accompa-", "paragraph_id": "para_314" }, { "text": "nying data and analyses, as of June 2021, Dr. Oguntade", "paragraph_id": "para_315" }, { "text": "still believed that the VA had not changed the “main ma-", "paragraph_id": "para_316" }, { "text": "chine learning model” in CAAPI, despite later giving it a", "paragraph_id": "para_317" }, { "text": "new name. J.A. 366; J.A. 257 (“CAAPIv2.0 was put in", "paragraph_id": "para_318" }, { "text": "4 The government does not dispute that it was", "paragraph_id": "para_319" }, { "text": "proper for the Board to accept as true Dr. Oguntade’s claim", "paragraph_id": "para_320" }, { "text": "that CAAPI was being used on live claims. Respondent’s", "paragraph_id": "para_321" }, { "text": "Br. 17; Initial Decision at 10.", "paragraph_id": "para_322" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 9 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_323" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB10", "paragraph_id": "para_324" }, { "text": "production on the 9th of April 2021 without any modifica-", "paragraph_id": "para_325" }, { "text": "tion to the classifier that underpins the API.”).", "paragraph_id": "para_326" }, { "text": "In May 2021, Dr. Oguntade again disclosed his con-", "paragraph_id": "para_327" }, { "text": "cerns, this time to Mr. Worthington via email, sharing that", "paragraph_id": "para_328" }, { "text": "his analysis “revealed that [CAAPI] increased the time for", "paragraph_id": "para_329" }, { "text": "Veterans to get a decision on average by 5–7 days” due to", "paragraph_id": "para_330" }, { "text": "the “classifier,” which had been “rechristened and put in", "paragraph_id": "para_331" }, { "text": "production without any modification.” J.A. 133 (emphases", "paragraph_id": "para_332" }, { "text": "removed); see Initial Decision at 7. Dr. Oguntade ex-", "paragraph_id": "para_333" }, { "text": "pressed that “[t]his [was] troubling” because “the conse-", "paragraph_id": "para_334" }, { "text": "quences of errors emanating from our product affects real", "paragraph_id": "para_335" }, { "text": "people.” J.A. 133. He concluded his email: “It is not right", "paragraph_id": "para_336" }, { "text": "to put a suboptimal product in production – the conse-", "paragraph_id": "para_337" }, { "text": "quences are real.” Id. As the VA processes over 1.5 million", "paragraph_id": "para_338" }, { "text": "claims per year, J.A. 269; see Initial Decision at 10, it is", "paragraph_id": "para_339" }, { "text": "plausible that his belief was reasonable that the effect of", "paragraph_id": "para_340" }, { "text": "delays caused by implementing CAAPI without modifica-", "paragraph_id": "para_341" }, { "text": "tion was, or would be, “significant.” White, 391 F.3d", "paragraph_id": "para_342" }, { "text": "at 1382. In sum, Dr. Oguntade plausibly alleged that he", "paragraph_id": "para_343" }, { "text": "disclosed what he reasonably believed to be serious error", "paragraph_id": "para_344" }, { "text": "by the VA not debatable among reasonable people. The to-", "paragraph_id": "para_345" }, { "text": "tal “number of claims processed by the agency” and “differ-", "paragraph_id": "para_346" }, { "text": "ence in processing times as estimated,” Initial Decision", "paragraph_id": "para_347" }, { "text": "at 13, do not render Dr. Oguntade’s allegations frivolous.", "paragraph_id": "para_348" }, { "text": "Although we determine that the Board erred in dis-", "paragraph_id": "para_349" }, { "text": "missing at the jurisdictional stage regarding Dr. Ogun-", "paragraph_id": "para_350" }, { "text": "tade’s gross mismanagement claim, we do not pass on", "paragraph_id": "para_351" }, { "text": "whether he will be ultimately victorious. “There is a fun-", "paragraph_id": "para_352" }, { "text": "damental distinction between the requirements necessary", "paragraph_id": "para_353" }, { "text": "to prevail on the merits of a WPA claim and those sufficient", "paragraph_id": "para_354" }, { "text": "to establish [B]oard jurisdiction.” Johnston v. Merit Sys.", "paragraph_id": "para_355" }, { "text": "Prot. Bd., 518 F.3d 905, 909 (Fed. Cir. 2008). Dr. Ogun-", "paragraph_id": "para_356" }, { "text": "tade’s disclosures were not “the sort of vague, conclusory or", "paragraph_id": "para_357" }, { "text": "facially insufficient allegations of government wrong-doing", "paragraph_id": "para_358" }, { "text": "that fail to provide an adequate jurisdictional predicate un-", "paragraph_id": "para_359" }, { "text": "der the WPA.” Id. at 910. Rather, they were “detailed and", "paragraph_id": "para_360" }, { "text": "facially well-supported” with explanations and statistical", "paragraph_id": "para_361" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 10 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_362" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB 11", "paragraph_id": "para_363" }, { "text": "analyses. See id. Moreover, the government concedes that", "paragraph_id": "para_364" }, { "text": "“reasonable minds could disagree about whether moderate", "paragraph_id": "para_365" }, { "text": "claims processing delays during the agency’s development", "paragraph_id": "para_366" }, { "text": "and implementation of a new system intended to improve", "paragraph_id": "para_367" }, { "text": "claims processing times amounted to an error, negligence,", "paragraph_id": "para_368" }, { "text": "or wrongdoing, versus temporary inefficiencies.” Respond-", "paragraph_id": "para_369" }, { "text": "ent’s Br. 25. To establish jurisdiction, Dr. Oguntade", "paragraph_id": "para_370" }, { "text": "needed only to plausibly allege a reasonable belief that he", "paragraph_id": "para_371" }, { "text": "was disclosing serious agency error “not debatable among", "paragraph_id": "para_372" }, { "text": "reasonable people.” White, 391 F.3d at 1382. Through his", "paragraph_id": "para_373" }, { "text": "allegations of gross mismanagement, he has cleared that", "paragraph_id": "para_374" }, { "text": "bar.", "paragraph_id": "para_375" }, { "text": "ii.", "paragraph_id": "para_376" }, { "text": "Because we hold that Dr. Oguntade has nonfrivolously", "paragraph_id": "para_377" }, { "text": "alleged a reasonable belief that his March, April, and May", "paragraph_id": "para_378" }, { "text": "Disclosures were protected disclosures of “gross misman-", "paragraph_id": "para_379" }, { "text": "agement” under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(8), this determination", "paragraph_id": "para_380" }, { "text": "suffices to establish that the Board erred in dismissing for", "paragraph_id": "para_381" }, { "text": "lack of jurisdiction. We do not reach the issue of whether", "paragraph_id": "para_382" }, { "text": "he also nonfrivolously alleged a reasonable belief that his", "paragraph_id": "para_383" }, { "text": "disclosures evidence a gross waste of funds by the VA.", "paragraph_id": "para_384" }, { "text": "* * *", "paragraph_id": "para_385" }, { "text": "Accordingly, the Board erred in concluding that", "paragraph_id": "para_386" }, { "text": "Dr. Oguntade had “not made a nonfrivolous allegation that", "paragraph_id": "para_387" }, { "text": "he made a protected disclosure” and thus “fail[ed] to meet", "paragraph_id": "para_388" }, { "text": "his burden of nonfrivolously alleging Board jurisdiction.”", "paragraph_id": "para_389" }, { "text": "Initial Decision at 15.", "paragraph_id": "para_390" }, { "text": "IV. CONCLUSION", "paragraph_id": "para_391" }, { "text": "We have considered the government’s remaining argu-", "paragraph_id": "para_392" }, { "text": "ments and find them unpersuasive. For the foregoing rea-", "paragraph_id": "para_393" }, { "text": "sons, we reverse and remand for further proceedings", "paragraph_id": "para_394" }, { "text": "consistent with this opinion.", "paragraph_id": "para_395" }, { "text": "REVERSED AND REMANDED", "paragraph_id": "para_396" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 11 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_397" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB12", "paragraph_id": "para_398" }, { "text": "COSTS", "paragraph_id": "para_399" }, { "text": "Costs to petitioner.", "paragraph_id": "para_400" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 12 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_401" }, { "text": "United States Court of Appeals", "paragraph_id": "para_402" }, { "text": "for the Federal Circuit", "paragraph_id": "para_403" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_404" }, { "text": "BABATUNDE OGUNTADE,", "paragraph_id": "para_405" }, { "text": "Petitioner", "paragraph_id": "para_406" }, { "text": "v.", "paragraph_id": "para_407" }, { "text": "MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD,", "paragraph_id": "para_408" }, { "text": "Respondent", "paragraph_id": "para_409" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_410" }, { "text": "2025-1114", "paragraph_id": "para_411" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_412" }, { "text": "Petition for review of the Merit Systems Protection", "paragraph_id": "para_413" }, { "text": "Board in No. DC-1221-23-0169-W-1.", "paragraph_id": "para_414" }, { "text": "______________________", "paragraph_id": "para_415" }, { "text": "LOURIE, Circuit Judge, concurring.", "paragraph_id": "para_416" }, { "text": "I join the panel’s thorough and well-written opinion in", "paragraph_id": "para_417" }, { "text": "full. I write separately to emphasize that, while preceden-", "paragraph_id": "para_418" }, { "text": "tial, the opinion should not be overread. Like all decisions,", "paragraph_id": "para_419" }, { "text": "it is based on its particular facts. The opinion thoroughly", "paragraph_id": "para_420" }, { "text": "documents Board jurisdiction over Dr. Oguntade’s claim of", "paragraph_id": "para_421" }, { "text": "gross mismanagement. I write separately to emphasize", "paragraph_id": "para_422" }, { "text": "that the opinion should not be read to discourage experi-", "paragraph_id": "para_423" }, { "text": "mentation to solve the VA claims backlog.", "paragraph_id": "para_424" }, { "text": "Under the whistleblower statute, jurisdiction over an", "paragraph_id": "para_425" }, { "text": "IRA appeal requires that an employee make non-frivolous", "paragraph_id": "para_426" }, { "text": "allegations that the employee reasonably believed evi-", "paragraph_id": "para_427" }, { "text": "denced gross mismanagement or gross waste of funds. The", "paragraph_id": "para_428" }, { "text": "tests for adequately pleading gross mismanagement and", "paragraph_id": "para_429" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 13 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_430" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB2", "paragraph_id": "para_431" }, { "text": "gross waste of funds require allegations that the govern-", "paragraph_id": "para_432" }, { "text": "ment acted in an undebatably improper manner. To be", "paragraph_id": "para_433" }, { "text": "deemed “gross mismanagement,” the employee must dis-", "paragraph_id": "para_434" }, { "text": "close “such serious errors by the agency that a conclusion", "paragraph_id": "para_435" }, { "text": "the agency erred is not debatable among reasonable people”", "paragraph_id": "para_436" }, { "text": "and the matter that is the subject of the disclosure must be", "paragraph_id": "para_437" }, { "text": "“significant.” White v. Dep’t of the Air Force, 391 F.3d 1377,", "paragraph_id": "para_438" }, { "text": "1382 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (emphasis added). To be deemed a", "paragraph_id": "para_439" }, { "text": "gross waste of funds, the employee must disclose that the", "paragraph_id": "para_440" }, { "text": "government undertook “more than debatable expenditure", "paragraph_id": "para_441" }, { "text": "that is significantly out of proportion to the benefit reason-", "paragraph_id": "para_442" }, { "text": "ably expected to accrue to the government.” Chambers v.", "paragraph_id": "para_443" }, { "text": "Dep’t of the Interior, 515 F.3d 1362, 1366 (Fed. Cir. 2008)", "paragraph_id": "para_444" }, { "text": "(emphasis added) (citing the Board’s test for gross waste of", "paragraph_id": "para_445" }, { "text": "funds with approval).", "paragraph_id": "para_446" }, { "text": "From our vantage point at this court, hearing appeal", "paragraph_id": "para_447" }, { "text": "after appeal from veterans for benefits, it is clear that a", "paragraph_id": "para_448" }, { "text": "large claims backlog has existed and that there has been a", "paragraph_id": "para_449" }, { "text": "need for the VA to experiment and devise solutions to this", "paragraph_id": "para_450" }, { "text": "problem. Today’s holding—that necessary experimental", "paragraph_id": "para_451" }, { "text": "testing might be subject to claims of gross mismanagement", "paragraph_id": "para_452" }, { "text": "or gross waste of funds—should not discourage such at-", "paragraph_id": "para_453" }, { "text": "tempts. That would be regrettable. Under a different set", "paragraph_id": "para_454" }, { "text": "of facts, it may be at least debatable that such a failure is", "paragraph_id": "para_455" }, { "text": "to be expected in implementing new strategies to reduce", "paragraph_id": "para_456" }, { "text": "the claims backlog. Veterans who are owed benefits under", "paragraph_id": "para_457" }, { "text": "the law for serving the country need solutions.", "paragraph_id": "para_458" }, { "text": "But, as the opinion demonstrates, the agency appears", "paragraph_id": "para_459" }, { "text": "to have been unresponsive to reasonable attempts by Dr.", "paragraph_id": "para_460" }, { "text": "Oguntade to point out the flaws in its management of the", "paragraph_id": "para_461" }, { "text": "CAAPI program. Moreover, that his temporary appoint-", "paragraph_id": "para_462" }, { "text": "ment was not renewed and hence that he was removed may", "paragraph_id": "para_463" }, { "text": "not be justified under the whistleblower laws. But the le-", "paragraph_id": "para_464" }, { "text": "gality of those alleged acts of retaliation is not before us.", "paragraph_id": "para_465" }, { "text": "What is before us is whether such disclosures of problems", "paragraph_id": "para_466" }, { "text": "with an experimental program can evidence gross misman-", "paragraph_id": "para_467" }, { "text": "agement or gross waste of funds, and I consider that, under", "paragraph_id": "para_468" }, { "text": "Case: 25-1114 Document: 43 Page: 14 Filed: 09/22/2026", "paragraph_id": "para_469" }, { "text": "OGUNTADE v. MSPB 3", "paragraph_id": "para_470" }, { "text": "the present facts and as ably laid out by the panel opinion,", "paragraph_id": "para_471" }, { "text": "they can. 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