Non-Federal Employee Whistleblower Protection Act of 2012 - Repeals and replaces provisions prohibiting reprisals against employees of civilian and defense contractors for disclosing to a federal official information relating to a substantial violation of law related to a public contract.
Prohibits an employee of any non-federal employer receiving covered funds (i.e., a contract, grant, or other payment any portion of which is provided by the federal government) from being discharged, demoted, or discriminated against as a reprisal for initiating or participating in any proceeding related to the misuse of federal funds, reasonably opposing the misuse of federal funds, or disclosing to specified federal agencies or officials information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of: (1) gross mismanagement of an agency contract or grant relating to covered funds; (2) a gross waste of covered funds; (3) a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, or an abuse of authority, related to the implementation or use of covered funds; or (4) a violation of a law, rule, or regulation related to an agency contract, subcontract, or grant relating to covered funds.
Sets forth provisions on: (1) time limitations for determinations by inspector generals on whether to conduct or continue an investigation of a reprisal complaint, (2) access by a complainant to the inspector general's investigative file, (3) the standard of proof for showing the occurrence of a reprisal, (4) agency actions to deny relief or remedy a reprisal, (5) the exhaustion of administrative remedies authorizing civil action by a complainant, and (6) nonenforceability of waivers and arbitration of disputes.