[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58201-58202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23667]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2019-0148]


Notice of Rights and Protections Available Under the Federal 
Antidiscrimination and Whistleblower Protection Laws

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Transportation.

ACTION: No FEAR Act notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice implements Title II of the Notification and 
Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No 
FEAR Act of 2002). It is the annual obligation for Federal agencies to 
notify all employees, former employees, and applicants for Federal 
employment of the rights and protections available to them under the 
Federal Anti-discrimination and Whistleblower Protection Laws.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yvette Rivera, Associate Director of 
the Equity and Access Division (S-32), Departmental Office of Civil 
Rights, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W78-306, Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-
5131 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Electronic Access

    You may retrieve this document online through the Federal Document 
Management System at http://www.regulations.gov. Electronic retrieval 
instructions are available under the help section of the website.

No FEAR Act Notice

    On May 15, 2002, Congress enacted the ``Notification and Federal 
Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002,'' now 
recognized as the No FEAR Act (Pub. L. 107-174). One purpose of the Act 
is to ``require that Federal agencies be accountable for violations of 
antidiscrimination and

[[Page 58202]]

whistleblower protection laws.'' (Pub. L. 107-174, Summary). In support 
of this purpose, Congress found that ``agencies cannot be run 
effectively if those agencies practice or tolerate discrimination'' 
(Pub. L. 107-174, Title I, General Provisions, section 101(1)). The Act 
also requires the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to 
provide this Notice to all USDOT employees, former USDOT employees, and 
applicants for USDOT employment. This Notice informs such individuals 
of the rights and protections available under Federal 
antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.

Antidiscrimination Laws

    A Federal agency cannot discriminate against an employee or 
applicant with respect to the terms, conditions, or privileges of 
employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, 
disability, marital status, genetic information, or political 
affiliation. One or more of the following statutes prohibit 
discrimination on these bases: 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(1), 29 U.S.C. 631, 29 
U.S.C. 633a, 29 U.S.C. 206(d), 29 U.S.C. 791, 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16 and 
2000ff.
    If you believe you have experienced unlawful discrimination on the 
bases of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic 
information, and/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. A directory of EEO 
officers is available on the Departmental Office of Civil Rights 
website at http://www.transportation.gov/civil-rights, under the 
``Contact Us'' tab. You will be offered the opportunity to resolve the 
matter informally; if you are unable to resolve the matter informally, 
you can file a formal complaint of discrimination with USDOT (See, 
e.g., 29 CFR part 1614).
    If you believe you experienced unlawful discrimination based on 
age, you must either contact an EEO counselor as noted above, or file a 
civil action in a United States district court under the Age 
Discrimination in Employment Act, against the head of an alleged 
discriminating agency. If you choose to file a civil action, you must 
give notice of intent to sue to the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory action, 
and not less than 30 days before filing a civil action. You may file 
such notice in writing with the EEOC via mail at P.O. Box 77960, 
Washington, DC 20013, the EEOC website https://www.eeoc.gov/employees/charge.cfm, personal delivery, or facsimile.
    If you are alleging discrimination based on marital status or 
political affiliation, you may file a written discrimination complaint 
with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Form OSC-11 is available 
online at the OSC website http://www.osc.gov, under the tab to file a 
complaint. Additionally, you can download the form from http://www.osc.gov/Pages/Resources-OSCForms.aspx. Complete Form OSC-11 and 
mail it to the Complaints Examining Unit, U.S. Office of Special 
Counsel at 1730 M Street NW, Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505. You 
also have the option to call the Complaints Examining Unit at (800) 
872-9855 for additional assistance. In the alternative (or in some 
cases, in addition), you may pursue a discrimination complaint by 
filing a grievance through the USDOT administrative or negotiated 
grievance procedures, if such procedures apply and are available.
    If you are alleging compensation discrimination pursuant to the 
Equal Pay Act, and wish to pursue your allegations through the 
administrative process, you must contact an EEO counselor within 45 
calendar days of the alleged discriminatory action, as such complaints 
are processed under EEOC's regulations at 29 CFR part 1614. 
Alternatively, you may file a civil action in a court of competent 
jurisdiction within two years, or if the violation is willful, three 
years of the date of the alleged violation, regardless of whether you 
pursued any administrative complaint processing. The filing of a 
complaint or appeal pursuant to 29 CFR part 1614 shall not toll the 
time for filing a civil action.

Whistleblower Protection Laws

    A USDOT 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 a personnel action 
against an employee or applicant because of a 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 the 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 a USDOT employee or applicant for making a 
protected disclosure is prohibited (5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8)). If you 
believe you are a victim of whistleblower retaliation, you may file a 
written complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel at 1730 M 
Street NW, Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505 using Form OSC-11. 
Alternatively, you may file online through the OSC website at http://www.osc.gov.

Disciplinary Actions

    Under existing laws, USDOT retains the right, where appropriate, to 
discipline a USDOT employee who engages in conduct that is inconsistent 
with Federal Antidiscrimination and Whistleblower Protection laws up to 
and including removal from Federal service. If OSC initiates an 
investigation under 5 U.S.C. 1214, USDOT must seek approval from the 
Special Counsel to discipline employees for, among other activities, 
engaging in prohibited retaliation (5 U.S.C. 1214). Nothing in the No 
FEAR Act alters existing laws, or permits an agency to take unfounded 
disciplinary action against a USDOT employee, or to violate the 
procedural rights of a USDOT employee accused of discrimination.

Additional Information

    For more information regarding the No FEAR Act regulations, refer 
to 5 CFR part 724, as well as the appropriate office(s) within your 
agency (e.g., EEO/civil rights offices, human resources offices, or 
legal offices). You can find additional information regarding Federal 
antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection, and retaliation laws at 
the EEOC website at http://www.eeoc.gov and the OSC website at http://www.osc.gov.

Existing Rights Unchanged

    Pursuant to section 205 of the No FEAR Act, neither the Act nor 
this notice creates, expands, or reduces 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).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 24, 2019.
Charles E. James, Sr.,
Director, Departmental Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2019-23667 Filed 10-29-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P