Welcome to 1 N EW E MPLOYEE O N - B OARDING

Our Mission “To foster a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment that ensures equal opportunity through national policy development, workforce analysis, outreach, retention, and education to best serve our Nation’s Veterans.” 2

Our Diversity Vision VA is a leader in creating & sustaining a high-performing workforce! 3

Our Strategic Goals A diverse, results-oriented, high-performing workforce A flexible and inclusive work environment Outstanding customer service and stakeholder relations 4

Our Policy 5 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunity (EEO), promoting diversity and inclusion, and resolving workplace conflict constructively to maintain a high performing workforce in service to our Nation’s Veterans. To that end, the Department will vigorously enforce all applicable Federal EEO laws, regulations, Executive Orders, and Management Directives to ensure equal opportunity in the workplace for all VA employees.

Our Policy EEO and Prohibited Discrimination 1.VA will not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, parental status, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information or retaliation for opposing discriminatory practices or participating in the discrimination complaint process. 2.Office of Resolution Management ( ) is your point of contact for handling allegations of discrimination. 3.Employees have 45 calendar days of the date of the alleged incident to contact an EEO Counselor. 6

Our Policy Workplace Harassment Harassment is a form of discrimination and will not be tolerated. Harassment by or against VA employees, applicants, contract employees, clients, customers, and anyone doing business with VA is prohibited. 7

Our Policy No FEAR/Whistleblower Protection VA employees are protected from unlawful discrimination and reprisal for participation in protected EEO and whistle-blower activity. Retaliation against individuals for reporting violations of laws, opposition to discrimination, or participation in the discrimination-complaint process is unlawful and will not be tolerated. This includes complainants, witnesses, and others who provide information concerning such claims. 8

Our Policy Alternative dispute resolution VA offers Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to assist parties in constructively resolving workplace disputes and EEO complaints as well as training to develop better skills in managing conflict. 9

Our Policy ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION See VACO ADR Policy at: ADR Policy.PDF For more information on ADR: – VACO ADR program manager at – VACO ADR liaisons: – AFGE Local 17 – Workplace ADR website: 10

Our Policy Resolution Support Center VA offers another forum where employees* can call to discuss different issues that may arise during the course of their employment including: - EEO complaint processes and procedures - Reasonable Accommodation - Harassment (EEO and Non-EEO) - VA policies and procedures - Federal and VA regulations Call NEW VA ( ) *Supervisors/Managers, non bargaining unit employees and bargaining unit employees (with the exception of NAGE and NFFE) can utilize the services of RSC at this time. 11

Our Policy Accommodation VA is committed to providing 1) reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and 2) religious accommodation to employees in accordance with the law, unless doing so imposes an undue hardship on the Department. 12

Our Policy Mandatory EEO, Diversity, and Conflict Management Training Employees are required to complete No FEAR Act/ Workplace Harassment Prevention training within 90 days of initial hire and biennially thereafter. gPlanActions.do gPlanActions.do Managers and Supervisors are required to complete Mandatory EEO, Diversity, and Conflict Management Training biennially. do do 13

Our Policy Toward Diversity & Inclusion We define “Diversity” in its broadest context to include all the characteristics that makes each of us unique. We define “Inclusion” as configuring opportunity, interaction, communication, information, and decision- making to leverage the potential of employee diversity. 14

The Loden Diversity Wheel 15 Reprinted with permission from Loden Associates. Secondary Dimensions of Diversity Primary Dimensions of Diversity Toward Diversity & Inclusion

Why Diversity & Inclusion? Adaptability… Agility… Range of Available Strengths… Creativity… More Ideas… Improved Communications… Innovation… Tolerance… Enhanced Reputation… A Better Image… Increased Productivity & Performance! 16

Why Diversity & Inclusion? Center for Creative Leadership Diverse teams are more creative and perform better in problem solving than homogeneous teams. Diversity in workforce and processes results in better decision-making. The effects of diversity are highly dependent on the presence of facilitating or inhibiting conditions in the organization; absent facilitating conditions, the aforementioned outcomes are reversed. Marian N. Ruderman et al. (eds.). Selected Research on Work Team Diversity

Why Diversity & Inclusion? “Organizations that are successful in leveraging the diversity of their people are better able to adapt to changes in the external environment.” Business Case for Inclusion and Engagement. By Marcus Robinson, Charles Pfeiffer, and Joan Buccigrossi (2003), wetWare, Inc. 18

Contact Us 19 Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Diversity & Inclusion (06) 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC Phone: (202) Fax: (202) Web site

Department of Veterans Affairs Service To Our Nation’s Veterans BEGINS WITH YOU! 20