The No Fear Act

I had never heard of the "No Fear Act," which is victim program (discrimination and whistleblower) instituted in 2002 (Bush). Much of the Bush years were scrubbed when Obama came into office, so what I saw begins with the current administration with 2010 report. Scrolling down 9 pages of figures for USDA 2014 (including repeat filers) I see most complaint findings were usually zero--no one disciplined, or fired, or promoted or demoted. Must be somewhat sluggish, too, as many complaints were carried over year to year, or were pending. But it's one of the few government reports I've seen that is current--filed quarterly. “Retaliation” is the most frequently alleged basis in formal EEO complaints at USDA, then race, sex and age. http://www.usda.gov/nofear/index.html

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program."

Some of the filers used multiple categories. The bookkeeping alone must eat up millions of dollars considering all the agencies that must comply. But worst of all, it pigeon holes employees by differences.