FAS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and provider. As the lead
Agency for international affairs, I strongly support our Agency’s dedication to
civil rights and to creating an environment that embraces diversity, inclusion
and fairness.
As we work to fulfill our mission of linking U.S. agriculture to
the world, it is the policy of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) to
continue to provide equal opportunity employment to all employees and employment
applicants, regardless of race, color, age, religion, gender, ethnicity, veteran
status, disability, sexual orientation or identification, political ideology, or
marital or family status. This policy relates to all employment decisions.
FAS will provide a work environment for its employees that is free of
discrimination and that promotes equal employment opportunities and equitable
treatment. Our Agency will not tolerate any form of harassment or retaliation.
Equally important is the civil rights requirement of this Agency to ensure that
no person is subjected to prohibited discrimination in Federally Assisted and
Federally Conducted programs and services. Any applicant for or participant in
programs and/or activities sponsored by FAS will be treated in a fair and
non-discriminatory manner. FAS program managers and providers are to ensure that
if discrimination occurs, prompt and appropriate action is taken to identify
these conditions and to completely eliminate such biased factors from any and
all FAS programs and services.
All of us—employees, managers and supervisors—share
the responsibility to ensure that each individual is treated with dignity and
respect. Any employee who feels that his or her rights have been violated under
this policy should inform his or her immediate supervisor and/or the FAS Office
of Civil Rights.
I know that all FAS employees will do their part to ensure the success of
these guiding principles.
Suzanne Hale
Acting Administrator
Foreign Agricultural Service
March 10, 2009
Signed
memo (.pdf)
FAS Office of Civil
Rights
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