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Civil Rights Enforcement & Adjudication (CREA)
The Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) Process
The DRB Process Helps with Early Resolution of EEO Complaints!
USDA receives approximately 600 equal employment opportunity (EEO) discrimination complaints annually. In 1994 the average time to process an EEO complaint was 655 days. This high volume of complaints has resulted in a backlog (which currently is 1436 complaints).
The DRB process was initiated under Secretary Mike Espy as a way to attempt early intervention and resolution of EEO complaints. The DRB began as a pilot project in September 1993, and resolved 39 of 40 cases. To date the DRB has handled 308 cases and resolved 248, for an 80-percent resolution rate.
USDA was a pioneer in the use of Alternate Dispute Resolution strategies in EEO complaints processing. As a result, in 1995 USDA was asked to give a presentation of its DRB process at the annual Federal Dispute Resolution Conference. The presentation was such a success that USDA has been asked to give the same presentation at the 1996 annual Federal Dispute Resolution Conference.
The DRB success has spawned requests from several federal departments to provide DRB services, to train and help implement similar programs.
About the DRB. The DRB process is the first step in the formal complaint process. It is an "interest-based" approach to dispute resolution and is complementary to Federal Sector Complaint Processing under 29 C.F.R. Part 1614, which encourages alternate dispute resolution processes.
The DRB process aims at --
- Presenting information to all parties involved in order to maximize the opportunity to resolve the complaint.
- Emphasizing communications among all parties.
- Providing technical guidance and practical suggestions to help the parties prepare and support their positions.
Benefits of the DRB Process. The DRB process emphasizes:
- Fact-finding at the start of the investigation stage.
- Early neutral intervention and assessment by the DRB.
- Presentation of a resolution offer that will achieve voluntary closure to the dispute.
The DRB members are skilled in EEO laws and regulations, personnel laws and regulations, problem solving and negotiation techniques.
The DRB services are currently offered at four of the six Regional Service
Centers: Washington, DC, Atlanta, Denver and Sacramento. (The New Orleans and
Kansas City locations are not yet fully staffed and are not offering the service
at this time.)
For more information, contact M. Farook Sait, Civil Rights Enforcement
and Adjudication 202-720-1796.
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Last updated: 8/26/96
