This is the direct result of Secretary Vilsack’s commitment to a zero tolerance for discrimination policy in response to the information personnel shared at the listening sessions. The EO Accountability Unit, which is part of the Office of Human Resources Management reviews all settlement agreements and decisions finding liability against the Department, whether they are individual, employee, or program complaints of discrimination. Employees can rest assured that USDA leaders are committed to fostering a workplace free from all forms of unlawful discrimination- where employees can feel safe performing the important duties they are charged with each and every day. Under this initiative, agencies are now required to forward copies of all settlement agreements or decisions in which there is a finding of liability against the USDA. This includes copies of all Reports of Investigation or Fact Finding Reports drafted as a result of personnel misconduct investigations, which touch on or concern allegations of discriminatory conduct.
