U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250
DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION |
Number: 4120-001 |
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SUBJECT : Annual Departmental Civil Rights Training |
DATE: September 18, 1998 |
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OPI: |
Section
1 Purpose
2 Special Instructions
3 Regulation
4 Responsibilities
Appendix--Civil Rights Training Plan
1 PURPOSE
The purpose of this regulation is to establish roles and responsibilities to ensure that all Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees receive annual civil rights training.
2 SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
a During fiscal years (FY) 1998, 1999, and 2000, civil rights training will be conducted according to the plan in the Appendix.
b Any exceptions or variations to this training regulation must be approved by the Director, Office of Civil Rights (CR).
3 REGULATION
Beginning in FY 1998, comprehensive civil rights training will be conducted annually.
a All USDA employees, including career, non-career, and political appointees, are required to participate in annual civil rights training.
b Departmental civil rights training enhances and supplements, but does not replace, mission area and agency civil rights and diversity training and development programs.
c Agencies must include a civil rights module in all management and supervisory training and orientation programs.
d The effectiveness and impact of annual civil rights training will be evaluated continuously and results will be shared across the Department.
4 RESPONSIBILITIES
a CR has lead responsibility for planning USDA!s civil rights training program. CR will coordinate with agency designated contact persons on logistical and informational needs before delivery of training. CR will also evaluate the effectiveness of the training program and direct changes to it.
b The Office of Human Resources Management and the USDA training community wM participate in the design, development, and delivery of the annual training to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the training through consideration of adult learning principles and use of appropriate technology.
c Mission areas and agencies will conduct Departmental training in accordance with this regulation and collect and maintain employee participation records for the annual training. Such records will be submitted to the Director, CR, to ensure all employees are trained.
d Mission areas and agencies will support the Department's civil rights training with funding, staff assistance, onsite coordination of training delivery, and by encouraging employees to apply the principles learned in civil rights training in the workplace.
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APPENDIX A
CIVIL RIGHTS TRAENING PLAN
For fiscal years (FY) 1998, 1999, and 2000, Departmental civil rights training will include three modules. One module will be conducted in FYA998, one in FY 1999, and one in FY 2000. For FY 2000 and beyond, this plan will be reviewed and revisions to the curriculum and plan will be made as needed. Changes will most likely result from new Departmental initiatives, legislation, or judicial actions.
The three modules are:
Module I-Introduction to Civil Rights
Components:
Sensitivity and Diversity
Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws and Regulations
Module II-Program Delivery and Outreach
Components:
Program Complaints Process
Sexual Harassment in the Delivery of Services
Cultural Diversity
Program Outreach
Program Delivery
Module III--EE0 Complaints, Sexual Harassment, and Special Emphasis
Components:
Sexual Harassment in the workplace
Special Emphasis Programs
EEO Complaint Processing
FY 1998
Module I--Introduction to Civil Rights:
This training is a prerequisite for all civil rights training, and attendance is mandatory for all employees. The modules in this training session can be used for orientation sessions and as part of the agency's supervisory and management training. The training program is intended to set the foundation for all civil rights training for the Department and includes a component on sensitivity and diversity, and a component on civil rights and EEO laws and regulations.
Target Date: January through September 30, 1998
Target Audience: All Employees
Method of Delivery: Satellite Broadcast and Classroom
Two satellite broadcasts were down linked to more than 600 sites in January 1998. The session was made available on videotape and was distributed for follow-up classroom discussion for those agencies and employees who were not reached by the broadcast.
FY 1999
Module II--Program Delivery and Outreach:
a This module for agencies with significant outreach responsibilities is under development. Delivery of the training for the target audience will begin in FY 1999 and will continue until employees of all agencies with significant program delivery responsibilities receive training. Topics to be included are program outreach, program delivery, representation of boards and councils, cultural diversity, assessment of program compliance, and management and employee responsibilities.
Target Date: October 1998 through 1999
Target Audience: State and local office staffs and committees, cooperators, and volunteers of agencies with major program delivery responsibilities. These Agencies include the Farm Service Agency; Natural Resources Conservation Service; Forest Service; Rural Development mission area; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; Risk Management Agency; Food and Nutrition Service; and Foreign Agricultural Service.
Method of Delivery: Classroom
b All other agencies will be required to develop and deliver, under the leadership of the Office of Civil Rights (CR), Agency Support and Special Emphasis Programs Division, training that meets the requirements of Departmental Regulation "Annual Departmental Civil Rights Training" which requires all USDA employees to have civil rights training annually.
Target Date: FY 1999
Target Audience: All USDA employees who are not required to take the Module II--Program Delivery and Outreach training described in Section "a" above.
Topics: To be developed and delivered by individual agencies under the leadership of CR.
Method of Delivery: Agencies will develop the method of delivery based on individual agency needs under the leadership of CR.
FY 2000
Module III--EEO Complaints, Sexual Harassment, and Special Emphasis:
Target Date: FY 2000
Target Audience: All Employees
Method of Delivery: Classroom
A syllabus which includes the course description, objectives, and topics for the above modules has been developed and will be available through CR.
FY 2000 and Beyond
Review, Evaluation, and Planning:
A review of the training plan will be conducted before the beginning of FY 2000. CR will identify training priorities for FY 2000 and beyond and work with the Office of Human Resources Management in the development of a new training plan.