Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002

The "Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002, Public Law 107-174," is a law that was signed on May 15, 2002, by President Bush with the intention of making federal agencies more accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws. "No FEAR" is the short title for the Act. The No FEAR Act and the implementing regulations are accessible by going to the bottom of this page.

GSA provides more information to employees about the No FEAR Act and a 20-minute online training course on its GSA Online University website.

With regard to equal employment opportunity (EEO) claims, to access statistical data published pursuant to the No FEAR Act regarding complaints lodged against the GSA, go to the No FEAR Act Library.  To initiate an EEO claim, contact the GSA EEO office that has jurisdiction over the claim.  EEO claims may be brought against GSA by employees or applicants who believe they have been discriminated against by the agency based on their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, and/or reprisal.

With regard to whistleblower claims, the No FEAR Act requires that agencies submit an annual report to Congress, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Attorney General no later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal year. The annual report must include the number of cases in which an agency was alleged to have violated whistleblower statutes. The annual report must also include the amount of money required to be reimbursed to the General Fund of the Treasury by the agency, separately identifying the aggregate amount attributable to attorneys' fees. The annual report must include data for each of the five immediately preceding fiscal years or if data are not available for all five fiscal years, for each of those five fiscal years for which data are available. The first annual report was submitted on March 30, 2007.

Data posted pursuant to the No FEAR Act, including statistical data regarding EEO claims, will be maintained in the No FEAR Act Library.

Last Reviewed 1/30/2009