AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Federal authorities say they are looking into four retaliation cases in Georgia, in which whistleblowers within the Department of Veterans Affairs say they've been punished for reporting concerns in VA facilities.

The Augusta Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/1mDlF8T) that the four Georgia cases being handled by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel come after workers say authorities retaliated after they reported concerns about scheduling, understaffing and other patient care issues.

Nationwide, investigators said last month they were examining allegations that supervisors in the veterans' health system retaliated against 37 employees who complained about practices such as falsified records used to cover up months-long delays in scheduling appointments.

The acting VA chief said such reprisals would not be tolerated.

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