October 13, 2000

Three firms will create impartial, outside "accountability teams" to review USDA offices where a large number of employee and customer civil rights complaints have been found. All three contracts were awarded to small, disadvantaged firms under the Small Business Administration's section 8(a) program, according to Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman.

During a June meeting with USDA's Washington area employees to emphasize the importance of civil rights, Glickman said he was planning to send the teams out to field offices to review employee and customer complaints and to determine the root cause of the complaints.

"I believe that these teams will provide us with objective analysis, information, and ideas to help us continue making further progress in ensuring that all our employees and customers are treated fairly and equitably, with dignity and respect," said Glickman.

The newly formed teams will examine USDA offices with particularly unique patterns or high volumes of discrimination complaints. They will review office operations, interview witnesses, and determine why complaints persist and what factors may contribute to discrimination in USDA program delivery or employment systems.

Specifically, teams are assigned to review Rural Development in Virginia and the Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations Division, reporting back to the Secretary within three months. Additional teams will review Forest Service Region 3 (Arizona and New Mexico) and Forest Service Region 5 (California), reporting back to the Secretary within six months. Additional offices to be reviewed, include offices of the Farm Service Agency, will be announced soon.

The most recent data available from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission indicates that the rate of employee discrimination complaints at USDA matches the average rate reported by other federal government departments.