OPM LAUNCHES ACTION PLAN
TO LOOK INTO MINORITY DISCHARGE RATES

Washington, D.C.--Working closely with a number of federal agencies, Office of Personnel Management Director Jim King has released an extensive action plan designed to peel back the statistics and find out why minorities in the federal government are discharged at higher rates than non-minorities.

Recent statistics show that minority discharges occurred at a rate of 10 per thousand employees and that non-minority discharges occurred at a rate of about three per thousand employees. Other statistical and sociological studies have indicated similar differences.

"When I said these numbers were like a smoke detector, I meant they signaled immediate action," said OPM Director Jim King. "We have gathered fire fighting equipment necessary to get to the bottom of this issue. As a team, we can examine the real issues and ensure fairness for all employees."

Working with agencies across government and cabinet level departments, staff from the Employment Opportunity Commission, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the General Accounting Office joined to develop a far-reaching plan of action to help the federal community improve its understanding of the difference in discharge rates.

The plan of action outlines a wide ranging set of initiatives designed first to fully understand the meaning of the statistical differences in minority and non-minority discharge rates, and then to provide to federal agencies whatever advice and assistance that will be helpful in reviewing their own discharge processes and in raising the consciousness of managers and employees to their respective responsibilities and rights.

"President Clinton and I are unequivocally committed to a government workforce that looks like America and is unquestionably fair in its personnel practices," said Jim King. "I believe this action plan, which is a great example of reinvented government as envisioned by Vice President Al Gore, will be the catalyst for ensuring fairness, objectivity, and firmness in the federal government's personnel policies and practices."

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