We just completed our first session of the Anti-Harassment Policy which was submitted by the Agency to EEOC/OFO as a resolution to address the numerous allegations of retaliation from their report date November 24, 2010. The members of the team are as follows:

 

Michael A. Castelle, Sr., NFPC/CPL33

Dwayne Person MARVP

Michael Meserve WRVP

Jerri Jones  SCRFPC

Sandra "Sandy" Parr NCRFPC

David Gonzalez NERFPC

 

Agency's Representatives

 

Mina Raskin EEO Officer FBOP

Paul Layer  Chief LMR

Delaine Martin Hill Assistance General Counsel

Ramos Flores LMR Branch Specialist

Stephen Sample Senior EEO Specialist

 

The group is trying to create a definition for "zero tolerance" that does not necessary lead to disciplinary action based on simple ignorance of  ones actions based on cultural differences. We believe if zero tolerance is too circumscribe the policy will have a opposite impact than what is intended. This is a work in progress.

 

The group has created a team to address "Hot Spots" were there has been documented spikes in EEO Compliant's, Workplace Violence Allegations, etc. The team  will consist of a selection by the National Fair Practices Coordinator, Regional Director and a selection agree upon by both parties generally someone both parties has confident in who is somewhat neutral to the situation they are going into. This individual needs to be objective and not necessarily someone from the Agency. It could be someone from AFGE or an affiliated Union or not.

 

The team will report back to the NFPC, R/D, and EEO Officer and a determination from the parties will be made to proceed forward for some type of regress.

 

We want to strengthen the Affirmative Action or Diversity Committee role in addressing allegations of discrimination as intended at the institution level. We want the Affirmative Action/Diversity Committee to play a role as reflect in Management Directive 110 and address allegation of discrimination in a effort to resolve some claim of discrimination before a EEO Counselor is contacted.

 

Nevertheless, the forty-five day time frame to contact a EEO Counselor to initiate the Agency's Administrative EEO process in still in play in accordance with statutory requirements. We are schedule to meet against in November the week of November 14-18, 2011.

 

The Union's Team wants some type of accountability on the CEO of the facility enforce what we agree on here and take corrective action if someone is confirm to have participated in a discriminatory practice of retaliation, harassment sexual and none sexual.