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DeCA Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to the No Fear Act
Any civilian employee or applicant for employment who believes he/she has been discriminated against because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, physical or mental disability, age (over 40), reprisal, or genetics, in an employment matter subject to the control of the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), may file an individual complaint of discrimination.
No Fear Act Notice
On May 15, 2002, Congress enacted the “Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002,” which is known as the No FEAR Act. One purpose of the Act is to ‘require Federal agencies to be accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws”. Pub. L. 107-174, Summary. In support of this purposes, Congress found that ‘agencies cannot be run effectively if those agencies practices or tolerate discrimination.” Public Law 107-174, Title I, General Provisions, Section 101(1). The Defense Commissary Agency provides this No Fear Act Notice to current employees, former employees and applicants for employment to inform you of the rights and protections available to you under Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection and retaliation laws.
Antidiscrimination Laws
Agencies cannot discrimination against an employee or applicant with respect to the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, material status or political affiliation. Discrimination on these bases is prohibited by one or more of the following statues: 5 USC 2302(b) (1), 29 USC 206(d), 29 USC 631, 29 USC 633a, 29 USC 791 and 42 USC 2000e-16.
If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (to include pregnancy, sexual orientation, sex stereotyping, and gender identity), national origin, disability (mental or physical), or genetic information, you must contact an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor within 45 calendar days of the alleged discriminatory action, or, in the case of a personnel action, within 45 calendar days of the effective date of the action, before you can file a formal complaint of discrimination with the Agency. See, e.g., 29 CFR 1614. If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful discrimination on the bases of age, you must either contact an EEO counselor as noted above or give the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) notice of intent to sue within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory action. If you are alleging discrimination based on marital status or political affiliation, you may file a written complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). In the alternative (or in some cases, in addition), you may pursue a discrimination complaint by filing a grievance through the agency’s administrative or negotiated grievance procedures, if such procedures apply and are available.
Whistleblower Protection Laws
A Federal employee with authority to take, direct others to take, recommend or approve any personnel action must not use that authority to take or fail to take, or threaten to take a personnel action against an employee or applicant because of disclosure of information by that individual that is reasonable believed to evidence violations of law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, unless disclosure of such information is specifically prohibited by law and such information is specifically required by Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or the conduct of foreign affairs. Retaliation against and employee or applicant for employment for making protected communication is prohibited by 5 U.S.C. 2302 (b)(8). If you believe you are a victim of whistleblower retaliation , you may file a written complaint (Form OSC-11) with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel at 1730 M. Street NW., Suite 218, Washington, DC, 20036-4505 or online through the OSC Web site.
Retaliation for Engaging in Protected Activity
Federal agencies cannot retaliate against employees or applicant s because they exercised their rights under any of the Federal antidiscrimination or whistleblower protections laws listed above. If you believe that you are the victim of retaliation for engaging in protected activity, you must follow, as appropriate, the procedures described in the Antidiscrimination Laws and Whistleblower Protection Laws sections or , if applicable, the administrative or negotiated grievance Procedures in order to pursue any legal remedy.
Disciplinary Actions
Each agency retains the right to discipline a Federal employee who has engaged in discriminatory or retaliatory conduct, up to and including removal. If OSC has initiated an investigation under 5 U.S.C. 1214, however, according to 5 U.S.C. 1214(f), agencies must seek approval from the Special Counsel to discipline employees for among other activities, engaging in prohibited retaliation. Nothing in the No FEAR Act alters existing laws or permits an agency to take unfounded disciplinary action against a Federal employee or to violate the procedural rights of a Federal employee who has been accused of discrimination.
Zusätzliche Informationen
For information regarding the No FEAR Act regulations, refer to 5 CFR 724, or contact the servicing DeCA EEO Office. Additional information regarding Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection and retaliation laws can be found on the EEOC web site and the OSC web site.