U.S. Agency for International Development Policy Statement on Equal Employment Opportunity

USAID’s ability to create a safer, healthier, more democratic, and more prosperous world relies on our ability to foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workforce and culture where all members of our workforce can thrive. To this end, I reaffirm USAID’s commitment to addressing inequality—including by tackling discrimination—and working tirelessly to ensure that all employees receive equal treatment under the law.

Our aim is to ensure that all employees can achieve their fullest potential and applicants for employment can compete on an equitable basis regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or transgender status), national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, marital or parental status, veteran status, membership in an employee organization, political affiliation, or involvement in protected equal employment opportunity (EEO) activity.

Federal law and USAID policy prohibit discrimination, harassment, and EEO-related retaliation in the workplace and all employment-related decisions, including, but not limited to, hiring, tenure, retention, promotion, assignments, career development, and benefits. 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—may contact the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) or an EEO Counselor at EEOcomplaints@usaid.gov within 45 days from the date the discrimination was believed to have occurred, or, if the discrimination involved a personnel action, from the date the action took effect.

Further, 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. I encourage all members of USAID’s workforce to report suspected or alleged harassment. USAID management officials must report allegations of harassment based on an EEO protected class within one business day to OCR at OCRharassment@usaid.gov or via the USAID Misconduct Reporting Portal. All members of USAID’s workforce are subject to corrective or disciplinary action if found to have engaged in misconduct.

Maintaining an Agency atmosphere that is free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is essential to our credibility when promoting democratic values, human rights, and rule of law with our partner countries. When we exemplify these seminal values as an Agency, we not only celebrate our diversity, but become more inclusive and equitable as well as more effective in all we do.

Samantha Power
Administrator

Any questions concerning this notice may be directed to:
-- Cheryl Klein, OCRD, (202) 372-5541, cklein@usaid.gov Notice 1055