Office of Civil Rights

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all of its employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination. Federal statutes protect employees and applicants from discrimination involving: Unfair treatment because of protected EEO bases; Harassment by managers, co-workers, or others in the workplace, because of protected EEO bases; Denial of a reasonable workplace accommodation because of religious beliefs or disability; Retaliation due to opposition to discrimination or participation in EEO process.

The Department of State is committed to providing a workplace that is free from discriminatory harassment and from sexual harassment.

It is the policy of the U.S. Department of State to provide personal assistance services (PAS) for qualified individuals with targeted disabilities.

It is the policy of the U.S. Department of State to comply fully with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 791 et seq. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued regulations at 29 C.F.R. Part 1630 implementing the provisions of the law for federal agencies.

On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued an update to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended. Pursuant to 29 CFR 1614.203(e)(2), each agency shall make an affirmative action plan for the hiring, placement, and advancement of individuals with disabilities and make it available to the public.

“On behalf of the Department, I apologize to those who were impacted by the practices of the past and reaffirm the Department’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion for all our employees, including members of the LGBTI community.”