Administrator Power’s statement, Reaffirming USAID’s Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity, underscores federal law and USAID policy to prohibit discrimination, harassment, and EEO-related retaliation in the workplace in all employment-related decisions, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, development and advancement, benefits, employee engagement and retention, and separations. 

USAID’s Office of Civil Rights is an Independent Office designed to help enforce anti-discrimination laws and promote equal and fair opportunities for all segments of society regardless of their differences, and is responsible for USAID’s mandated Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program. 

Members of USAID’s workforce and applicants for employment who believe they have been subjected to discrimination or retaliation—or who are seeking additional information about their EEO rights and responsibilities—should contact the Office of Civil Rights at EEOcomplaints@usaid.gov within 45 days from the date the discrimination was believed to have occurred, or when they became aware of it, or, if the discrimination involved a personnel action, from the date the action took effect.

USAID does not tolerate workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, of any kind and will address such misconduct before it becomes severe or pervasive enough to be unlawful. We encourage all members of USAID’s workforce to promptly report suspected or alleged harassment to the Office of Civil Rights at ocrharassment@usaid.gov. Unlawful harassment is unwelcome conduct, based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy), national origin, age (beginning at age 40), disability, genetic information (including family medical history), pregnancy accommodation, or protected EEO activity, and that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance/environment by resulting in a tangible employment action, or is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment and create a hostile or abusive working environment.

Elijah E. Cummings Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2020

USAID is committed to creating and maintaining a work environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. USAID seeks to develop and maintain an environment where individuals can enjoy equal employment opportunities free from any form of misconduct, including reprisal, as defined by Federal law or Agency policy. USAID is deeply committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. 

The Elijah E. Cummings Federal Employee Antidiscrimination Act of 2020 amends the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (No FEAR) Act of 2002 to strengthen federal antidiscrimination laws enforced by the EEOC and expands accountability within Federal agencies. This law requires Federal agencies to post notification of a finding of discrimination (including retaliation) that has been made against them. The notice must be posted online on the agency’s website for a period of one year, and state that a finding of discrimination (including retaliation) has been made, including identifying the date on which the finding was made, the date of each discriminatory act, the law(s) violated, and to advise employees of the rights and protections available under applicable civil rights laws.

Notification of EEO Violations

Currently, there are no findings of discrimination (including retaliation) that have been made against USAID.