THE DAILY PROCESS Tips for Successful Civil Rights Compliance

THE DAILY PROCESSTHE DAILY PROCESS Tips for Successful Tips for Successful

Civil Rights Civil Rights ComplianceCompliance

Practicing Civil Rights (CR) in program compliance and employee and customer

relations is a full-time job.

Good documentation of CR Good documentation of CR activities will…activities will…

Provide support of the office “daily Provide support of the office “daily

process”process”

Promote confidence and self esteemPromote confidence and self esteem

Eliminate non-compliance Eliminate non-compliance

Enhance the “teamwork” atmosphereEnhance the “teamwork” atmosphere

Components of a Successful Civil Components of a Successful Civil Rights ProgramRights Program

Structural (The Building)Structural (The Building) VisualVisual Employee/AgencyEmployee/Agency SupervisorySupervisory Customer Service/ProgramCustomer Service/Program

Structural (The Building)Structural (The Building)

Are the following compliant with the Are the following compliant with the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? ParkingParking EntrancesEntrances RestroomsRestrooms SpaceSpace

- doorways- doorways

- hallways- hallways

- work areas- work areas

VisualVisual

Mandatory posted materialsMandatory posted materials

See the Kansas USDA Service Center Manual online at See the Kansas USDA Service Center Manual online at http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/partnerships/SC_Manual/indehttp://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/partnerships/SC_Manual/index.htmlx.html for a current list of mandatory posted materials.for a current list of mandatory posted materials.

NRCS mandatory posted materials are available online atNRCS mandatory posted materials are available online at

http://http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/posted_materials.htmlwww.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/posted_materials.html..

Employee/AgencyEmployee/Agency

Interactions with co-workersInteractions with co-workers Knowledge of equity in program delivery Knowledge of equity in program delivery Knowledge of the complaint processKnowledge of the complaint process Personal equitable treatment by supervisor and Personal equitable treatment by supervisor and

agency agency

Ensure employees know to practice Agency Ensure employees know to practice Agency Equal Opportunity (EO) and CR policies Equal Opportunity (EO) and CR policies when interacting with other agencies and when interacting with other agencies and outside entities.outside entities.

SupervisorySupervisory

Education provided to subordinate Education provided to subordinate employeesemployees

Equitable treatment of multiple Equitable treatment of multiple subordinate employeessubordinate employees

Office compliance with CR policiesOffice compliance with CR policies

- The 230 File- The 230 File

SupervisorySupervisory – The 230 File – The 230 File

What is the 230 file and how is it used?What is the 230 file and how is it used?

Title 230, Parts 401 and 402 of the Title 230, Parts 401 and 402 of the General Manual is the section General Manual is the section dedicated to EO and CR.dedicated to EO and CR.

Each office must create and maintain a Each office must create and maintain a 230 file.230 file.

All EO activities should be documented All EO activities should be documented and retained in the 230 file.and retained in the 230 file.

SupervisorySupervisory – The 230 File – The 230 File

Why is documentation important?Why is documentation important?

Provides proof of EO and CR efforts Provides proof of EO and CR efforts and activitiesand activities

Is a great tool for drafting an EO and Is a great tool for drafting an EO and CR action planCR action plan

Serves as a means for measuring Serves as a means for measuring successsuccess

Customer Service/ProgramCustomer Service/Program

Equitable treatment is offeredEquitable treatment is offered to all to all customers and potential customers customers and potential customers with regards to service and program with regards to service and program participation.participation.

Offices are making efforts to practice Offices are making efforts to practice outreach to the underserved.outreach to the underserved.

Help is AvailableHelp is Available

Contact your area office or assistant Contact your area office or assistant state conservationist for field state conservationist for field operationsoperations

Contact a Civil Rights Advisory Contact a Civil Rights Advisory Committee member Committee member ((www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/civil_rights.htmlwww.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/intranet/civil_rights.html//))

Good ResourceGood Resource

The Participant Book The Participant Book associated with the NRCS CR associated with the NRCS CR Compliance in Program Compliance in Program Delivery class offers some Delivery class offers some excellent tools.excellent tools.

Every Natural Resources Conservation Every Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office will experience a CR Service (NRCS) office will experience a CR review.review.

This review usually takes place in This review usually takes place in conjunction with a management and conjunction with a management and administrative review.administrative review.

The frequency of the review at the field The frequency of the review at the field office level is every five years.office level is every five years.

The CR Review - Measuring Success

Why do a review?Why do a review? Because…CR reviews:Because…CR reviews: Educate employeesEducate employees Remind us of what is correctRemind us of what is correct Reinforce the importance of equityReinforce the importance of equity Ensure complianceEnsure compliance

The following three pages contain a The following three pages contain a helpful check list for CR compliance helpful check list for CR compliance reviews.reviews.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age,

disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal,

or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or

call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."opportunity provider and employer."

Non-Discrimination Statement