EQUAL OPPORTUNITY DIRECTIVE NUMBER 2000-17
 

TO:                 Bureau/Office Equal Opportunity Officers

FROM:           E. Melodee Stith
                      Office for Equal Opportunity

SUBJECT:     Prohibited Discrimination based on Status as a Parent

On May 2, 2000 President Clinton issued a further amendment to Executive Order 11478 to prohibit discrimination based on an individuals status as a parent. This Order, which is attached for your review and information, provides a uniform policy for application throughout the Federal Government.

"Status as a parent" refers to the status of an individual who, with respect to an individual who is under the age of 18 or who is 18 or older but is incapable of self-care because of a physical or mental disability, is:

        (a) a biological parent;
        (b) an adoptive parent;
        (c) a foster parent;
        (d) a stepparent;
        (e) a custodian of a legal ward;
        (f) in loco parentis over such an individual; or
        (g) actively seeking legal custody or adoption of such an individual.

Please ensure that all EO posters, EEO Counselors Manuals, notices (e.g., vacancy announcements), employee orientation manuals, personnel practices and procedures, etc., have status as a parent included as not only a prohibited practice but an equal opportunity policy. Also, to achieve the goals of the Presidents policy, it is essential that your bureau's Diversity Training includes a component to help employees, managers and supervisors understand and meet their responsibilities in this area.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will be developing guidance on the provisions of this Order. Upon receipt of OPM's guidance, we will provide additional technical advice and amend the Departmental Manual Chapter, 373 DM 7, accordingly.

Attachment

DISTRIBUTION:    Bureau and Office Equal Opportunity Officers

INQUIRIES:           Carolyn M. Burrell, Assistant Director Complaints Processing and Adjudication, 202-208-3442

EXPIRES:               When Superseded
 
 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and in order to provide for a uniform policy for the Federal Government to prohibit discrimination based on an individuals status as a parent, it is hereby ordered that Executive Order 11478, as amended, is further amended as follows:
 

Section 1. Amend the first sentence of section 1 by substituting "sexual orientation, or status as a parent." for "or sexual orientation.

Sec. 2. Insert the following new sections 6 and 7 after section 5:

"Sec. 6. 'Status as a parent refers to the status of an individual who, with respect to an individual who is under the age of 18 or who is 18 or older but is incapable of self--care because of a physical or mental disability, is:

(a) a biological parent;
(b) an adoptive parent;
(c) a foster parent;
(d) a stepparent;
(c) a custodian of a legal ward;
(f) in loco parentis over such an individual; or
(g) actively seeking legal custody or adoption of such an individual.

"Sec. 7. The Office of Personnel Management shall be authorized to develop guidance on the provisions of this order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of an individuals sexual orientation or status as a parent."

Sec. 3. Amend section 4 by substituting "and appropriate to carry out its responsibilities under this Order." for "appropriate to carry out this Order."

Sec. 4. Renumber current sections 6, 7, and 8 as sections 8, 9, and 10, respectively.

Sec. 5. Add a section 11 to read as follows:

"Sec. 11. This Executive Order does not confer any right or benefit enforceable in law or equity against the United States or its representatives."
 
 
 
 

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE,

May 2, 2000.