Filing a Complaint of Discrimination:
Employees or applicants who believe they have been discriminated against must contact a counselor or EEO Official at the alleged discriminating agency within 45 days of the event or incident giving rise to their claims. Counselors advise the aggrieved persons of their rights and responsibilities in the process and the procedures for filing a complaint. Region 6, EEO Counselors are Christy Bates and Mary Knuth. To contact either counselor click on the Office Staff hyperlink. The complainant may use the traditional counseling process or elect to use the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process.
Traditional Counseling Activities:
Counselors have 30 days to conduct traditional counseling. This time frame may be extended an additional 60 days if resolution appears to be imminent upon agreement with the EEO official and the complainant.
The counselor is an impartial fact finder whose main goal is to seek a resolution at the lowest possible level.
If resolution attempts are unsuccessful, the counselor reviews their inquiry results and issues the complainant(s) the Notice of Final Interview and Right to File a Formal Complaint which outlines the formal process and the time frame for filing a formal complaint of discrimination.
The complainant has 15 days to file a formal complaint of discrimination with the Fish and Wildlife Service's National Office.
Alternate Dispute Resolution Process (ADR) (5)
If the agency offers ADR to the complainant for the allegations and that person elects to participate, resolution through the traditional counseling will not be attempted.
The agency has 90 days to conduct ADR during the pre-complaint process.
If the ADR process does not result in the resolution of the complaint, the counselor will issue the Notice of Final Interview and Right to File a Formal Complaint which outlines the formal process and the time frame for filing a formal complaint of discrimination.
The most common ADR method is mediation. Mediation can help employees solve workplace conflicts quickly and confidentially - without going though a lengthy administrative or legal process. Mediation is a voluntary, informal process used to solve disputes. In mediation, a neutral third person helps people in dispute work through their problem to reach a solution all can agree on. Mediators can help people clarify their expectations and reach agreement on a disputed issue. Mediators don't make decisions or impose settlements - the people involved use the mediator's help to craft their own solutions. Mediators can help both sides communicate more clearly and openly. Mediators do set and enforce ground rules and can help people develop new options to solving problems.
