[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 222 (Friday, November 17, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66909-66910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19490]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Docket Number: 061113299-6299-01]


Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and 
Retaliation Act of 2002 (No FEAR Act) Notice

AGENCY: Office of Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce publishes this notice to inform 
current employees, former employees and applicants for Commerce 
employment of the rights and protections available to these individuals 
under Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection and 
retaliation laws. The Department takes this action pursuant to the 
notification requirements contained in the Office of Personnel 
Management regulations. The intent of this action is to ensure that 
Federal agencies are accountable for violations of antidiscrimination 
and whistleblower protections laws.
    Additional Information: For further information regarding the No 
FEAR Act regulations, refer to 5 CFR part 724. Additional information 
regarding Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection and 
retaliation laws can be found at the EEOC Web site at http://www.eeoc.gov and the OSC Web site at http://www.osc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 be accountable for violations of 
antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws''. Public Law 107-
174, Summary. In support of this purpose, Congress found that 
``agencies cannot be run effectively if those agencies practice or 
tolerate discrimination.'' Public Law 107-174, Title I, General 
Provisions, section 101 (1). The No FEAR Act requires the President, or 
his designee, to promulgate regulations implementing the Act. The 
President delegated these responsibilities to the Office of Personnel 
Management, who issued a final rule on notification and training (71 FR 
41095, July 20, 2006). Pursuant to the Office of Personnel Management's 
regulations, the Department of Commerce provides this No Fear Act 
Notice to current employees, former employees and applicants for 
Commerce employment to inform you of the rights and protections 
available to you under Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower 
protection and retaliation laws. For purposes of the Act, an applicant 
for Federal employment means an individual applying for employment in 
or under a Federal agency; a Federal employee means an individual 
employed in or under a Federal agency; and a former Federal employee 
means an individual formerly employed in or under a Federal agency.

Antidiscrimination Laws

    A Federal agency cannot discriminate 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,

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age, disability, marital status or political affiliation. 
Discrimination on these bases is prohibited by one or more of the 
following statutes: 5 U.S.C. 2302(b) (1), 29 U.S.C. 206(d), 29 U.S.C. 
631, 29 U.S.C. 633a, 29 U.S.C. 791 and 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16.
    If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful 
discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national 
origin or disability, 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 your agency. See, e.g., 29 CFR 1614. 
If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful discrimination 
on the basis 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 or fail to take, a 
personnel action against an employee or applicant because of disclosure 
of information by that individual that is reasonably 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 an employee or applicant for making a protected 
disclosure is prohibited by 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8). If you believe that 
you have been the 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-http://www.osc.gov.

Retaliation for Engaging in Protected Activity

    A Federal agency cannot retaliate against an employee or applicant 
because that individual exercises his or her 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

    Under existing laws, each agency retains the right, where 
appropriate, to discipline a Federal employee for conduct that is 
inconsistent with federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower 
protection laws, 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.

Existing Rights Unchanged

    Pursuant to section 205 of the No FEAR Act, the Act and this notice 
does not create, expand or reduce any rights otherwise available to any 
employee, former employee or applicant under the laws of the United 
States, including the provisions of law specified in 5 U.S.C. 2302(d).

    Dated: November 14, 2006.
Suzan J. Aramaki,
Director, Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Commerce.
 [FR Doc. E6-19490 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P