ASCR's difficulties in resolving discrimination complaints persist--ASCR has not achieved its goal of preventing future backlogs of complaints. At a basic level, the credibility of USDA's efforts has been and continues to be undermined by ASCR's faulty reporting of data on discrimination complaints and disparities in ASCR's data. Even such basic information as the number of complaints is subject

ASCR's difficulties in resolving discrimination complaints persist--ASCR has not achieved its goal of preventing backlogs of complaints. The credibility of USDA's efforts has been and continues to be undermined by ASCR's faulty reporting and disparities in ASCR's data. Even such basic information as the backlog of complaints is subject to wide variation in ASCR's reports to the public and Congres

ASCR's difficulties in resolving discrimination complaints persist--ASCR has not achieved its goal of preventing future backlogs of complaints. At a basic level, the credibility of USDA's efforts has been and continues to be undermined by ASCR's faulty reporting of data on discrimination complaints and disparities in ASCR's data. Even such basic information as the number of complaints is subject

GAO noted that: (1) USDA's efforts to process discrimination complaints are falling short of its goals for closing its complaint backlog--one of the Secretary's top priorities; (2) the dates USDA established for closing its backlogs of program and employment discrimination complaints have been extended several times beyond its initial target date of July 1, 1997; (3) as of October 1, 1998, USDA h

GAO found that: (1) in implementing the military EO program, the four military services have established different complaint processes; (2) among these differences are the deadlines for filing a complaint, the channels available for filing a complaint, and the documentation used to record complaint processing and followup reviews; (3) not all the commands GAO visited were following their service'

GAO found that: (1) 32 percent of NIH employees surveyed reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment in the past year, but 96 percent of these employees opted not to file an equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint or take other personnel action; (2) NIH employees filed 32 informal and 20 formal sexual harassment complaints between October 1990 and May 1994, however no determinations

GAO found that: (1) although all 75 agencies reviewed complied with EEOC reporting requirements, most of the reports were submitted late and lacked required workforce analyses; (2) the 75 medium and small agencies made mixed progress in improving women's and minorities' representation in their workforces; (3) although the percentages of women and minorities increased at the agencies from 1984 to

GAO discussed its review of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms' (BATF) investigation and resolution of sexual harassment complaints. GAO noted that: (1) DEA employees were reluctant to use the complaints process because they feared reprisal from managers; (2) female employees were concerned because investigators demonstrated a lack of sens

GAO found that: (1) factors impeding the successful implementation of an EEO program at DEA include employee skepticism, dissatisfaction, fear of retaliation, and misunderstanding; (2) DEA employees lack confidence in the competence of EEO counselors and question the sensitivity and objectivity of investigators and complaint processors; (3) employees believe that management responses to reported

GAO found that: (1) EEOC workloads will likely increase without commensurate increases in resources; (2) the average processing time for a discrimination complaint could more than double by fiscal year 1996; (3) EEOC officials do not believe EEOC will initiate more systemic charges or litigate more cases under ADEA laws because its resources are limited; (4) the use of alternative dispute resolut