Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Harassment Policy Statement
Director Thomas J. Walters
The Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) prepares the federal law enforcement community to safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values. As we work each day to fulfill this mission, we must commit to fostering a workplace that supports and promotes the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for all individuals, embraces a diverse and inclusive work environment, and remains free of retaliation and harassment.
The bedrock of EEO is the right to work and advance on the basis of merit, ability, and potential, free from prejudice or discrimination. FLETC prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, disability (mental and physical), age (40 years and over), genetic information, and reprisal.
Employees who believe they have been discriminated against are fully able to exercise their right to file an EEO complaint and otherwise oppose unlawful discrimination without fear of retaliation.
In addition, consistent with Presidential Executive Orders and other laws designated to protect Federal employees, FLETC prohibits discrimination based on parental status, marital status, political affiliation, military service, or any other non-merit based factor. This policy applies to employees, applicants, former employees, and students (under certain circumstances). These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, and training and career development programs.
Moreover, even if an individual’s behavior does not rise to the level of unlawful discrimination as defined by Federal law, Executive Order, regulation or policy, it may still violate FLETC’s Standards of Conduct and may subject the individual to discipline.
All supervisors/managers are required to immediately report incidents of harassment. Employees are also encouraged to report harassment immediately to the appropriate officials (i.e., FLETC EEO Officer, Human Capital Officer, or any supervisor). Students should report any incident to sources listed above or to an Instructor, Program Technician, Program Specialist, Program Manager, or Agency Representative. Training Program Managers are required to brief students on this policy during orientation.
As Director, I reaffirm my commitment to preventing any unlawful discrimination and/or harassment pertaining to FLETC employment policies, procedures, practices, and operations. I expect all FLETC personnel to join me in creating a work environment free from unlawful discrimination, promoting awareness of employee rights and responsibilities, and providing a fair and neutral process for adjudicating complaints without fear of retaliation. Achievement of our equal employment opportunity objectives enhances our ability to accomplish our mission.