U.S Department of Veterans Affairs Page 1

Diversity & Inclusion

Annual Report FY2015

Office of Diversity & Inclusion

Human Resources & Administration

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Washington, DC 20420
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs i

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Diversity and Inclusion 

Annual Report 

Fiscal Year 2015

Human Resources and Administration | Office of Diversity and Inclusion

810 Vermont Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20420

http://www.diversity.va.gov
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U.S Department of Veterans Affairs iii

MESSAGE FROM THE

CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL 

OFFICER

We are pleased to present the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Diversity and 

Inclusion Annual Report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015. This 

Report presents the accomplishments and progress made 

by VA toward the goals and objectives contained in the 

VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012 -

2016. The Plan was developed pursuant to President 

Obama’s Executive Order 13583, “Establishing a 

Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to Promote 

Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce.”

The Office of Human Resources and Administration’s 

(HRA) Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has the 

primary responsibility for leading the Department’s 

diversity and inclusion program in collaboration with the 

VA Administrations and Staff Offices. HRA/ODI 

administers the Diversity and Inclusion in VA Council 

(DIVAC) which comprises representatives from all major 

VA organizations. ODI partnered with the DIVAC to 

develop information for this Report. 

In November 2014, Secretary Bob McDonald launched 

a major new initiative called MyVA to transform the VA culture and provide Veterans with “a 

seamless, integrated and responsive customer service experience.” A strategic priority under 

MyVA is to improve the employee experience within VA. Under this umbrella objective, VA

established a new Anti-Harassment Office to proactively address alleged harassment in the 

workplace, and created a new employee engagement service to promote engagement and 

inclusion at all levels. VA also implemented Whistleblower Rights and Protection training for 

all managers and supervisors which resulted in VA receiving certification from the Office of 

Special Counsel for its Whistleblower Protection Program.

As you will read in the following pages, VA has made considerable progress in the area of 

diversity and inclusion in FY 2015. VA continues to increase its aggregate workforce diversity 

as evident by its innovative Diversity Index and leads cabinet level agencies in the hiring of 

individuals with targeted disabilities. These and other accomplishments reflected in the report are 

a testament to VA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. We thank our partners and 

stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to promoting diversity and inclusion in VA.

THE HONORABLE GINA S. FARRISEE

Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and 

Administration
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U.S Department of Veterans Affairs v

MESSAGE FROM THE

CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER

As we continue our journey under our new MyVA roadmap, we are proud to report our 

progress in making VA “a place people want to serve.” A key enabler in achieving this goal is 

putting our people first so they can deliver the best services to 

our Nation’s Veterans. We in ODI understand the critical role 

that diversity and inclusion play in engaging and empowering 

our human resources to achieve VA’s noble mission. It is with 

this context in mind that we are happy to share VA’s Diversity 

and Inclusion (D&I) Annual Report for FY 2015. The 

accomplishments and initiatives reflected in this Report 

represent the collaborative efforts of VA’s three 

Administrations – the Veterans Health Administration, the 

Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery 

Administration – and VA’s Staff Offices and stakeholders. 

Together, we have advanced VA’s status as a leader in

diversity and inclusion in the Federal sector. 

When VA issued its first D&I Annual Report in 2009, we 

focused our attention on workforce diversity in terms of race, 

ethnicity, gender and other demographic characteristics. 

Today, we still highlight our progress in the area of 

representational diversity, but we have expanded our focus to 

address the crucial and often overlooked area of workplace inclusion and its corollary - employee 

engagement. As Federal Government looks increasingly inward to issues of engagement and 

employee development, it is important to understand that before we can engage, we must first 

include. To this end, VA’s ODI has led the effort to cultivate a safe and inclusive workplace that 

leverages its workforce diversity and empowers all contributors. 

This past year, VA has cemented its role as a change agent in the area of diversity and inclusion. 

VA’s ODI led the implementation of the Federal Government’s first Diversity & Inclusion in 

Government (DIG) Council. The Council consists of executives from all Cabinet-level 

departments and serves as a forum for addressing high level diversity and inclusion issues 

impacting all of government. VA has also been an active participant on the Office of Personnel 

Management’s (OPM) Chief Human Capital Officer Council, and major contributor to the 

Veterans Employment Council, and Hispanic Council on Federal Employment. 

This Annual Report presents VA’s accomplishments and challenges in meeting the three 

strategic goals of our FY 2012 -2016 Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan: Workforce Diversity, 

Workplace Inclusion, and Outstanding Public Service & Stakeholder relations. We thank all of 

our partners and stakeholders for their invaluable contributions to this Report.

GEORGIA COFFEY 

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of 

Diversity and Inclusion
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viii Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Table of Contents

Executive Summary................................................................................................................................................................ 1

Historical Perspective............................................................................................................................................................ 7

Strategic Alignment................................................................................................................................................................ 9

Organizational Overview....................................................................................................................................................11

Goal 1: “Build a diverse, high-performing, workforce that reflects all segments of society.”................17

VA Diversity Index............................................................................................................................................................17

Workforce Representation ...........................................................................................................................................20

Applicant Flow Data.........................................................................................................................................................23

Leadership...........................................................................................................................................................................26

Veterans................................................................................................................................................................................28

Individuals with Targeted Disabilities.....................................................................................................................29

FY 2015 Organizational Accomplishments............................................................................................................31

Office of the Secretary................................................................................................................................................31

VA Diversity Council...................................................................................................................................................32

Administrations............................................................................................................................................................32

Assistant Secretaries ..................................................................................................................................................36

Goal 2: “Cultivate a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive work environment that leverages diversity 

and empowers all contributors.”.....................................................................................................................................40

Workplace Flexibility......................................................................................................................................................43

Flexibility: The Employee’s Perspective..................................................................................................................45

Employee Engagement...................................................................................................................................................47

Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework .........................................................................49

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.............................................................................................51

EEO Complaints.................................................................................................................................................................54

Alternative Dispute Resolution...................................................................................................................................56

Promotions..........................................................................................................................................................................57

Separations..........................................................................................................................................................................60

Elimination of Barriers: MyCareer@VA Program...............................................................................................62

FY 2015 Organizational Accomplishments............................................................................................................64

Office of the Secretary................................................................................................................................................64

VA Diversity Council.................................................................................................................................................65

Administrations............................................................................................................................................................65

Assistant Secretaries...................................................................................................................................................67
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Goal 3: “Facilitate outstanding, culturally competent public service and stakeholder relations 

through effective leadership and accountability.”...................................................................................................71

Public Service and Citizen Feedback.........................................................................................................................71

FY 2015 Organizational Accomplishments............................................................................................................73

Office of the Secretary................................................................................................................................................73

VA Diversity Council...................................................................................................................................................74

Administrations............................................................................................................................................................74

Assistant Secretaries ..................................................................................................................................................76

FY 2016 Planned Initiatives ..............................................................................................................................................80

Office of the Secretary.....................................................................................................................................................80

Administrations.................................................................................................................................................................81

Assistant Secretaries .......................................................................................................................................................85

References ................................................................................................................................................................................91

References ................................................................................................................................................................................92

Appendices...............................................................................................................................................................................93

VA Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012-2016.............................................................................94

VA EEO, Diversity & Inclusion, No FEAR, and Whistleblower Protection Policy 

Statement.......................................................................................................................................................................... 120

No FEAR Report.............................................................................................................................................................. 134
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TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Diversity Index Trend ......................................................................................................................................18

Figure 2: VA Workforce vs. CLF and RCLF (FY 2014 - FY 2015)........................................................................20

Figure 3: Net Change by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender (FY 2014 - FY 2015)..................................................21

Figure 4: VA Hires vs. CLF and RCLF (FY 2015).......................................................................................................21

Figure 5: Workforce Trend ( FY 2011 - FY 2015)....................................................................................................23

Figure 6: Applicant Flow Data (FY 2015)....................................................................................................................24

Figure 7: Applicant Flow Data: Underrepresented Groups (FY 2015)............................................................25

Figure 8: SES Onboard Trend (FY 2011 - FY 2015).................................................................................................26

Figure 9: Women Net Change...........................................................................................................................................27

Figure 10: SES Onboard vs. Benchmarks (FY 2015)...............................................................................................27

Figure 11: GS/GM 13-15 Onboard Trend (FY 2010 – 2015.................................................................................28

Figure 12: Veterans (FY 2014 - FY 2015)....................................................................................................................29

Figure 13: Individuals with Disabilities Onboard (FY 2014 - FY 2015)........................................................29

Figure 14: Hires of Individuals with Disabilities (FY 2014 - FY 2015)...........................................................30

Figure 15: New IQ Index Trends (FY 2010 - FY 2015)...........................................................................................40

Figure 16: VAs IQ Component Score..............................................................................................................................42

Figure 17: Telework Participation by Total Workforce (FY 2014 - FY 2015 ...............................................44

Figure 18: Positions Suitable for Telework (FY 2014 - FY 2015)......................................................................44

Figure 19: Telework Participation of Eligible Positions (FY 2014 - FY 2015).............................................45

Figure 20: Results of Survey Item 73 (FY 2011 - FY 2015).................................................................................45

Figure 21: Results of Survey Item 73 (FY 2011 - FY 2015)..................................................................................46

Figure 22: Satisfaction with Alternative Work Schedules (FY 2011 - FY 2015).........................................47

Figure 23: Employee Engagement Index (FY 2011 - FY 2015)..........................................................................48

Figure 24: Employee Engagement Index Subfactors ( FY 2011 - FY 2015)..................................................48

Figure 25: HCAAF Factors (FY 2011 - FY 2014).......................................................................................................49

Figure 26: Results-Oriented Performance Culture Index .....................................................................................51

Figure 27: Number of Centrally Funded RA (FY 2010 - 2015)...........................................................................52

Figure 28: Reasonable Accommodations Reimbursements ................................................................................53

Figure 29: Complaint Activity Trend.............................................................................................................................54

Figure 30: EEO Complaints by Basis..............................................................................................................................55

Figure 31: EEO Complaint by Issue Trend.................................................................................................................56

Figure 32: ADR in the EEO Proces ..................................................................................................................................57

Figure 33: ADR Outcomes..................................................................................................................................................57

Figure 34: GS/GM Promotions (FY 2015)...................................................................................................................58

Figure 35: Title 38 Promotion (FY 2015)....................................................................................................................59

Figure 36: Wage and Canteen Promotions (FY 2015)............................................................................................60

Figure 37: Voluntary Separations (FY 2015).............................................................................................................61

Figure 38: Involuntary Separations (FY 2015).........................................................................................................62

Figure 39: ACSI Scores by Federal Agencues.............................................................................................................71

Figure 40: ACSI Score: Public and Private Sector Comparison...........................................................................73
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xii Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Diversity and Inclusion 

Annual Report 

Fiscal Year 2015

Human Resources and Administration | Office of Diversity and Inclusion

http://www.diversity.va.gov
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 1

Executive Summary

In his Executive Order 13583, titled “Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to 

Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce,” President Obama reminded us that 

“Our Nation derives its strength from the diversity of its population... “ and challenged federal 

agencies to “draw on the talents of all parts of our society.” With that in mind, VA updated its

inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan to adapt to the changing realities of a global 

community and create robust goals, objectives, and strategies to achieve a 21st century 

workforce. In this fifth consecutive Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report, we present the 

progress made and the measurable outcomes of our collaborative efforts toward meeting the 

goals of the VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012 - 2016. We start with a 

summary of our accomplishments this past year and measures of progress in the area of diversity 

and inclusion as of September 30, 2014.

Looking at Our Accomplishments... VA made considerable progress in achieving its milestones and targets in its fourth and final year 

under the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012 - 2016. Accomplishments are 

presented below in alignment with our three overarching goals: workforce diversity; workplace 

inclusion, and outstanding public service and stakeholder relations.

Goal 1: “Build a diverse, high-performing 

workforce that reflects all segments of 

society.” 

• VA’s Diversity Index increased for the 7th consecutive year, indicating an increase in 

VA’s aggregate workforce diversity by race, ethnicity, and gender as compared with the 

Relevant Civilian Labor Force (RCLF).

• VA exceeded the Secretary’s 3 percent hiring goal for individuals with targeted 

disabilities (IWTD) and the Secretary’s 2 percent onboard goal for IWTD, giving VA the 

highest representation of IWTD among cabinet level agencies.

• Secretary McDonald reaffirmed VA’s commitment to the rights and protections 

enshrined in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Notification and Federal Employee 

Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (No FEAR) Act, the Whistleblower Protection Act, 

and related Federal laws that protect our employees in his annual Policy Statement dated 

April 20, 2015.

• VA’s ODI led the creation of Federal Government’s first Diversity and Inclusion in 

Government Council, launched in May 2015 to address broad, high level diversity and 

inclusion matters impacting all of government.
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• ODI administered VA’s Centralized Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) and 

sponsored 19 interns with disabilities, converting seven interns to career conditional 

FTEs. VA ranks second among cabinet level agencies in WRP conversions and number 

of WRP recruiters.

• ODI administered the National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP) and sponsored 135 

diverse interns from minority serving institutions in VA internships to build a pipeline for 

workforce diversity. 

• ODI conducted six national outreach events in partnership with diverse affinity 

organizations to perform targeted recruitment outreach to build a diverse and inclusive 

workforce. 

• ODI prepared and timely submitted numerous Federally mandated EEO and diversity 

plans and reports on behalf of VA, including the Annual EEO Plan and Program Status 

Report required by EEOC Management Directive 715; the Federal Equal Opportunity 

Recruitment Program Plan and Report required by the Office of Personnel Management; 

and the Agency Performance Report on Actions to Assist Minority Serving Institutions

(including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, American Indian and Alaska 

Native Education, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Asian Americans and Pacific 

Islanders serving institutions). 

. 

Goal 2: “Cultivate a flexible, collaborative and 

inclusive work environment that leverages 

diversity and empowers all contributors.” 

• VA’s Inclusion Index (Inclusion Quotient), a measure of organizational inclusiveness 

based on Federal Employee Survey results, remained at 53 percent for the second year. 

• VA’s informal EEO complaint resolution rate remained steady at 53 percent from FY 

2014 to FY 2015. 

• The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) incorporated EEO and 

diversity and inclusion strategic imperatives in its Strategic Planning process.

• VA established the Office of Accountability Review to ensure and track accountability 

for misconduct and lack of oversight by senior leaders.

• VA’s Office of Resolution Management (ORM) stood up an Anti-Harassment Office in 

December 2014 and issued draft policy and procedures to proactively address workplace 

harassment. 

• ODI issued the first VA Guidance on Religious Expression and Exercise in VA Facilities 

and Property under VA’s Control. 
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• The Deputy Assistant Secretary for ODI served as an advisor to the Corporate Employee 

Development Board, Training Leadership Council, and the SES Candidate Development 

Program to ensure diversity and inclusion principles in leadership development programs.

• The Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for ORM served as an advisor on the 

Performance Review Board to ensure fairness and accountability in the SES performance 

appraisal process.

• ORM conducted 296 hours of training for 393 individuals related to 33 findings of 

discrimination. 

• ORM awarded a contract to conduct Conflict Management and Mediation training. Over 

the course of twelve months, twenty-two 3-day training sessions will be delivered to 

promote skills and competency in managing conflict and resolving workplace disputes 

and EEO complaints. 

• In addition to the Conflict Management and Mediation training, ORM trained 590 

employees in ADR Awareness, Basic Mediation Skills, and Communication Skills. 

ORM provided quarterly briefings to new employees and supervisors in VA Central 

Office on ADR and EEO. 

• ORM conducted 10 Conflict Assessments in FY 2015, to explore workplace conflict, and 

to provide a picture of the organization that helped leadership respond more effectively to 

workplace issues. 

• In partnership with the VA Learning University (VALU), ODI expanded its 

MyCareer@VA Day program to promote career development for individuals 

experiencing career bottlenecks, including groups with less than expected representation 

in jobs above the GS 9 grade level.

• VA funded over 400 reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities at a 

cost of $376,606 through its Centralized Reasonable Accommodations Fund, 

administered by ODI.

• ODI and the Office of General Counsel conducted monthly training events for managers,

supervisors, and practitioners on the reasonable accommodation process. 

• ODI managed and upgraded its VA-wide reasonable accommodations tracking system for 

increased quality assurance and compliant processing of requests.

• ODI delivered 205 elective, virtual or face-to-face, learning events at VA facilities 

nationwide to over 8,134 VA employees addressing the following topics: bullying; 

generations; processing reasonable accommodation requests; barrier analysis; Special 

Emphasis Program Manager (SEPM) responsibilities; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, 

Transgender (LGBT) awareness; organizational inclusion; diversity and inclusion for 

new employees and new supervisors, unconscious bias/implicit association; and cultural 

competency.

• ODI conducted monthly and quarterly conference calls to SEPMs and EEO Managers 

across VA, providing training, information and tools to enable them to successfully 

accomplish their goals.

• ODI administered six technical assistance reviews of VA facilities to ensure compliance 

with mandated EEO, diversity and inclusion requirements. 

• ODI piloted and obtained approval to launch the World Café initiative, a facilitated group 

discussion and action planning program on race relations.
4 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Goal 3: “Facilitate outstanding, culturally 

competent public service and stakeholder 

relations through effective leadership and 

accountability.” 

• VA expanded partnerships/Memoranda of Understanding with diverse stakeholders 

including National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, African American Federal Executive 

Association (AAFEA), Asian American Government Executives Network (AAGEN), 

Blacks in Government, and Federally Employed Women to promote targeted outreach.

• VA expanded the Secretary’s annual EEO, Diversity, No FEAR, and Whistleblower 

Protection Policy Statement to reflect new legal protections based on sexual orientation 

and gender identity/transgender status, and include biennial Whistleblower Rights and 

Protection training requirement for all managers and supervisors.

• VA achieved Office of Special Counsel certification for its Whistleblower Rights and 

Protection Program.

• VA received Honorable Mention at the 2014 MarCom Awards - an international creative 

competition for individuals and companies involved in the concept, writing and design of 

print, visual, audio and web materials and programs in part due to VALU and ODI’s 

collaboration.

• VALU and ODI developed the framework for the design and development of a new Webbased course on implicit bias and implicit association.

• At the request of the Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey, ODI provided the city's 

first LGBT awareness training for city employees on April 16, 2015.

• VA continued to experience high compliance with its mandatory biennial training 

programs: Prevention of Workplace Harassment/No FEAR training (96% completion 

rate), EEO, Diversity, and Conflict Management Training for Managers and Supervisors 

(93% target audience completion rate); Whistleblower Rights and Protection and 

Prohibited Personnel Practices Training (93% target audience completion rate). 

• VA published 12 issues of the Diversity and Inclusion newsletter, six editions of 

NewsLink and six editions of Diversity News videos in FY 2015.

• ODI administered the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Annual Diversity and Inclusion 

Excellence Awards Program to recognize achievements in three categories of the VA 

workforce.

• ORM administered the Secretary’s ADR Excellence Awards program to recognize 

achievement in ADR programs and principles.

• ODI administered four quarterly VA Diversity Council meetings and presented at 

numerous EEO/diversity stakeholder meetings (Advisory Committee of Minority 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 5

Veterans, Hispanic Council on Federal Employment, NAACP, DIG, FHCE, AAFEA, 

AAGEN, and others).

The Road Ahead... 

In FY 2015 and beyond, VA will focus on building upon current initiatives and adding new 

strategies in furtherance of its goal outlined in the VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for 

FY 2012 - 2016. The following includes a selection of planned initiatives:

• VA has developed the background, overview, scope, and design details for the 

development of a new Web-based course on implicit bias and implicit association. The 

production task is contingent on funding availability for VALU’s contracting process for 

FY 2016. 

• Refine anti-harassment program: (1) enhance anti-harassment coordinator (AHC) 

network, (2) expand case management system, and (3) launch training for employees, 

supervisors, managers, union officials, and AHCs.

• Continue marketing MyCareer@VA to additional facilities and external stakeholders, 

focusing on exploring career opportunities and career mapping strategies to facilitate 

employment and career advancement for all groups. 

• Continue to track VA-wide disciplinary actions taken against Responsible Management 

Officials in findings of discrimination and report as appropriate in MD 715 Part G. 

• Continue implementation of training evaluation instrument and metrics.

• Integrate the new USA Staffing Applicant Flow System into VA Human Resources 

Information System.

• Update VSSC database system to track participation in VA leadership development 

programs by race, ethnicity, and gender (REG) in VA’s TMS.

• Update VSSC to ensure field facilities can fully meet the requirements of MD-715 to 

conduct a thorough barrier analysis (Part I Form is currently not editable). 

• Increase the number of Conflict Assessments conducted to provide insight that may 

improve workplaces and reduce disputes and complaints.

• Revise the management and implementation of ODI’s Web site.

• Continue to streamline the Final Agency Decision process.

• Reprogram the Relevant Civilian Labor Force computation in VA’s VSSC database 

system to align with EEOC guidance.

• Implement intern tracking system in NDIP and WRP to accurately track conversions of 

student interns to career positions with VA. 

• Design and initiate SEPM training for all VBA EEO managers.

• Expand and strengthen partnerships/MOUs with diverse stakeholders including the 

Federal Asian Pacific American Council, League of Latin American Citizens, and other 

external affinity groups.
6 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Establish and promote employee engagement through development of a core group of 

VA employees who will train others on the New IQ and identified behaviors that can be 

learned, practiced and developed into habits of inclusiveness resulting in improved 

inclusive intelligence within VA.

• Conduct technical and quality review of the refresh projects on mandatory EEO, D&I, 

Reasonable Accommodation, Conflict Resolution Training, and whistleblower rights and 

protection; conduct technical and quality review of the refresh project on harassment 

prevention, NoFEAR, and whistleblower protection for all employees. Plan the 

deployment for early FY 2017. 

• Design, obtain funding, implement, and report on World Café events to initiate racerelations dialogs at the VBA Records Management Center in St. Louis MO in late 

January 2016, preceded by a pilot test in VACO on December 8, 2015. 

• Develop and publish the VA D&I Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and integrate goals into the 

VA Strategic Plan and HR&A Strategic Plan.

• Manage administration of VA Diversity Council and proposed name change and charter 

revision.

• Establish a Diversity and Inclusion Competency Model.

• Plan and implement Whistleblower protection campaign to obtain Office of Special 

Counsel certification in 2018.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 7

Historical Perspective

Since the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the quest for social justice has been long and 

circuitous. In the public sector, EEO had its statutory roots in the Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 

1964, the landmark legislation of the Great Society. In 1969, President Nixon issued Executive 

Order 11478, which banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, 

handicap, or age, and required Federal agencies to establish affirmative employment programs to 

foster EEO for minorities and women. That order led to the Equal Employment Opportunity Act 

of 1972, which amended the CRA to extend coverage of the act to Federal employees. 

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has had advisory authority for 

these affirmative employment functions in the Federal sector since 1978, including the 

responsibility to review and approve annual Federal agency equal opportunity plans. EEOC 

implemented the Federal affirmative employment program requirements through a series of 

management directives requiring agencies to determine underrepresentation of minorities and 

women in various employment categories, and to submit plans for addressing such 

underrepresentation. 

Since that time, the field of EEO and affirmative action has changed dramatically. In the 1980s, 

the concept of EEO expanded into “respecting differences” and eventually was transformed by 

the groundbreaking work of Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, who introduced the concept of “diversity 

management” in his book, “Beyond Race and Gender; Unleashing the Power of Your Work 

Force by Managing Diversity.” Born largely in the private sector, the field of diversity 

management evolved from a legal imperative to an increasingly compelling business case for 

diversity. 

In 2003, the EEOC published Management Directive (MD) 715 to succeed and supplant previous 

directives on affirmative employment. The new directive required all Federal agencies to 

perform annual self-assessments against six “essential elements” to create a “model EEO 

program” and to perform extensive demographic analyses of their workforces to identify 

disparities and develop plans to eliminate identified barriers to equal opportunity. MD 715 is 

also unique in that it does not focus on minorities; it requires agencies to focus on any group that 

has a low participation rate. Thus, the focus is data-driven instead of reacting to historic 

patterns. 

Over time, the concept of EEO moved from a reactive, exclusively legalistic model to a more 

proactive, business-driven paradigm. The millennium also ushered in a new framework for 

diversity. The focus was now shifting from diversity to inclusion, a rapidly emerging trend also 

born in the private sector. This sea change occurred quietly as companies found themselves 

vigorously competing for diverse workforce talent in a globalized economy. They soon realized 

that it was not enough to simply recruit a diverse workforce, but they must also retain and 

leverage that diverse workforce to advance their mission. Organizations began looking internally 

at the organizational culture and any institutional processes that negatively impacted employees’ 

ability to fully participate and contribute to the goals of the organization. This required 

examining systemic barriers in all aspects of the organization—including cultural norms, 

business practices, communications, leadership development, training and education, 

management accountability, and work life. Organizational inclusion became the means to 
8 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

actualize the enormous potential of workforce diversity. The concept of inclusion galvanized the 

field of diversity management by stressing inclusion of all employees, not just legally-protected 

classes. 

In VA, the EEO and affirmative employment functions operated in a decentralized structure until 

1997. That year, Congress mandated that VA’s EEO complaints management function be 

centralized at headquarters. Affirmative employment operations continued to be decentralized to 

the field facilities, while EEO policy and planning functions remained at headquarters. In 2001, 

VA asked the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to review the Department’s 

diversity and EEO policies, organizational structure, and staffing. The purpose of requesting the 

review was to obtain recommendations for improvements to VA’s diversity program that would 

contribute to the attraction and retention of a high-quality workforce, to the support of the 

Department’s strategic mission, and to the delivery of outstanding and cost-effective services to 

VA’s internal and external customers. The Academy made more than a dozen recommendations 

for improvement, including the recommendation that VA’s diversity management strategy 

concentrate on three paramount goals: a harmonious and productive work environment, a diverse 

workforce, and outstanding service to all Veterans. 

In 2008, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Diversity Management and EEO led the 

development of VA’s first Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan. To comport with this new 

direction, the Office of Diversity Management and EEO was restructured and renamed the Office 

of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), to reflect the emerging need to complement the focus on 

workforce diversity with a focus on organizational inclusion (that is, leveraging diversity). 

Through this focus on both diversity and inclusion, VA can create the facilitating conditions to 

enable all employees to contribute their fullest to VA’s mission of providing optimum service to 

Veterans and their families. 

In 2009, VA issued its inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009 - 2013. As 

recommended by NAPA, the plan focuses on three primary goals: a diverse, results-oriented, 

high-performing workforce; a flexible and inclusive work environment; and outstanding 

customer service and stakeholder relations.

In 2011, President Obama signed Executive Order 13583 which called for all agencies to 

generate a diversity and inclusion strategic plan and to “establish a system for reporting regularly 

on agencies’ progress.” The U.S. Office of Personnel Management was charged with the 

responsibility for leading the development of a Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Plan, modeled largely after VA’s Plan. In 2012, VA produced a new Diversity and 

Inclusion Strategic Plan incorporating all requirements set forth by the Executive Order. This 

Annual Report on Diversity and Inclusion chronicles the Department’s progress toward meeting 

the goals outlined in the VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012 – 2016. 

In 2013, VA ODI led two interagency work groups that created the framework for the new 

Diversity in Government Council (DIG). The Council was launched in May 2015. The Council 

consists of senior level representation from all Cabinet level departments and provides a forum 

for addressing government-wide strategic diversity and inclusion issues.

This year, VA is in the process of updating its Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 

2016 and beyond.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 9

Strategic Alignment 

The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to fulfill President Abraham 

Lincoln’s promise “to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his 

orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s Veterans. The VA FY 

2014–2020 Strategic Plan is the cornerstone of the Department’s transformation effort. That 

plan identifies three strategic goals, with ten strategic objectives, and 50 supporting Performance 

Goals. In addition, VA has adopted four Agency Priority Goals for 2016-2017. They are: 

Improve the Veteran Experience

Improve VA’s Employee Experience 

Improve Access to Health Care

Improve Dependency Claims Processing. 

The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) is responsible for leading VA’s 

human capital management program and driving the employee experience goal. In FY 2014, 

HRA issued its Strategic Plan for FY 2014-2020 outlining three strategic goals. The VA 

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan is aligned with HRA Strategic Goal 1: Drive VA 

transformation through strategic human capital engagement, development, and talent acquisition; 

and Agency Priority Goal 2: Improve VA’s Employee Experience.

VA is undergoing a radical transformation to improve our relationship with our Veterans. This 

relationship is the cornerstone for all that VA does. This connection begins the moment a person 

joins the military and lasts through final honors. VA is the bridge that helps Veterans transition 

to civilian life, and we continue to support them through other key life events, such as learning a 

trade or getting a degree. The foundation of that relationship is built on trust and respect and it 

must be built to last a lifetime.

Veteran and employee relationships are inextricably linked. We cannot improve service to 

Veterans without improving how VA develops, supports and empowers employees to provide 

the world-class service we intend to deliver. HRA is developing training and tools that will help 

employees at every level to become effective, efficient and culturally competent. This is an 

essential piece of VA’s transformation and drive to improve performance.

In the final analysis, our success as a public service agency will be gauged by how effectively 

and equitably we deliver our services. To accomplish this, we must have a workforce that 

reflects the needs of our clients – our Veterans and the American public at large. It is our vision 

that through the goals, objectives, and strategies contained in our Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Plan, we will build a diverse workforce and cultivate an inclusive workplace that is 

empowered and prepared to provide excellent service to our Veterans, their families, and all our 

stakeholders, in the spirit of “MyVA.”
10 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Click on the image to see how MyVA is building trusted relationships.

The VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan reflects the aims of MyVA initiative. It is also

aligned with VA’s Strategic Objective 3.1, “Make VA a Place People want to Serve,” and the 

supporting performance goals of improving two groundbreaking metrics developed by ODI to 

measure workforce diversity and organizational inclusion: VA’s Diversity Index and Inclusion 

Index. 

VA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012–2016 was developed with this 

underlying mission in mind: “to build a diverse workforce and cultivate an inclusive workplace 

to deliver the best services to our Nation’s Veterans, their families, and beneficiaries.” 

The vision described in the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan is that VA is a leader in 

creating and sustaining a high-performing workforce by leveraging diversity and empowering all 

employees to achieve superior results in service to our Veterans. 

The values identified in the Plan reflect VA’s ICARE Values: Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, 

Respect, and Excellence.

The Plan contains three over-arching goals:

1. Build a diverse, high-performing workforce that reflects all segments of society. 

2. Cultivate a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive work environment that leverages 

diversity and empowers all contributors. 

3. Facilitate outstanding, culturally competent public service and stakeholder relations 

through effective leadership and accountability. 

This Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report measures the progress made against those aligned 

goals and objectives. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 11

Organizational Overview

Responsibility for creating a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace rests with all VA 

employees at all levels of the organization. The following describes the missions of VA’s major 

organizations and sub-components as they relate to diversity and inclusion. 

Office of the Secretary 

The Office of the Secretary (OSVA) oversees the Department in its mission to provide health, 

education, disability, funerary, and financial benefits earned by Veterans of the U.S. Armed 

Forces. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs has the responsibility of demonstrating commitment 

to equality of opportunity and access to programs for all employees and applicants for 

employment, and communicating this commitment throughout the Department, as detailed in VA 

Directive 5975 “Diversity Management and Equal Employment Opportunity.” The Secretary is

also responsible for making diversity and EEO an integral part of VA’s strategic mission; issuing 

to all VA employees an annual policy statement prohibiting discrimination and affirming the 

value of diversity and EEO; ensuring the enforcement of EEO and diversity program 

requirements; annually certifying that VA is in full compliance with Federal laws, regulations, 

and Executive orders; and ensuring findings of discrimination from EEOC (and other 

adjudicatory bodies) are tracked and fully implemented. There are six subsidiary offices that 

report directly to the Office of the Secretary front office: Center for Minority Veterans; Center 

for Women Veterans; Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships; Office of 

Survivors Assistance; Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication; Office of 

Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; and the Advisory Committee Management 

Office. These organizations serve as a resource while identifying barriers to benefits and 

services for Veterans and their families. 

The Deputy Secretary for Veterans Affairs (DEPSECVA) serves as the second in command and 

Chief Operating Officer for the Department. The DEPSECVA directs the policy and operations 

of the Department and provides broad direction to the Department’s Staff Offices, ensuring 

coordinated action and conformance with the Secretary’s directives. The DEPSECVA carries 

out responsibilities and functions specifically delegated by the SECVA including: overseeing the 

activities of the Executive Director of the Office of Acquisition, Logistics and Construction 

(OALC); and managing the implementation of VA’s Veteran Access, Choice and Accountability 

Act of 2014. 

The Chief of Staff of Veterans Affairs (COSVA) synchronizes and coordinates SECVA policy 

guidance and direction with VA’s Administrations, Staff Offices and key officials. COSVA 

oversees OSVA staff, including several senior advisors and special assistants to ensure effective 

and efficient support to the SECVA and DEPSECVA and the Department as appropriate. 

COSVA participates in the Department’s governance process.

The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on 

issues related to minority Veterans, identifies barriers to benefits and healthcare access for 

minority Veterans, promotes awareness of minority Veteran-related issues, develops strategies 

for improving the participation in existing VA benefits and programs, and provides support for 
12 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans. The CMV also serves as an 

advocate for minority Veterans, conducts outreach activities to promote the awareness and 

utilization of VA benefits and services, and evaluates the overall effectiveness of the provision of 

VA benefits and services. 

The Center for Women Veterans (CWV) is responsible for ensuring that women Veterans are 

treated fairly and equitably in the Department’s programs and policies, and that barriers are 

identified and mitigated. Today, there are over 2.0 million living women Veterans, representing 

9.4 percent of the Veterans population. Women comprise one of the fastest-growing segments of 

the total U.S. Veterans population; it is estimated that by 2020, they will make up more than 10.5

percent of that population. Our women Veterans hail from all walks of life, and represent 

diverse national origins, races, religions, ages, and abilities. 

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and counsel to all OGC components 

with respect to diversity and inclusion issues. OGC also undertakes internal initiatives to 

enhance diversity and inclusion within the OGC workforce. 

The Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (CFBNP) develops partnerships 

with, provide relevant information to, and expand participation of faith-based, nonprofit, and 

community/neighborhood organizations in VA programs in order to better serve the needs of 

Veterans, their families, Survivors, caregivers and other beneficiaries.

The Office of Survivors Assistance (OSA) serves as a resource regarding all benefits and services 

furnished by VA to survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans members of the Armed 

Forces. The Office serves as principal advisor to the Secretary on all matters related to the 

policies, programs, legislative issues, and other initiatives affecting survivors and dependents. 

OSA also serves as an advocate for survivors, conducts targeted outreach activities to promote 

the awareness of VA benefits and services for survivors, and explores and implements innovative 

opportunities to reach survivors who are eligible but not receiving benefits. OSA partners with 

internal and external partners to enhance the knowledge and awareness of survivor benefits and 

other issues surrounding the survivor community. OSA conducts outreach activities internally 

and externally, participates in panels and trainings, and provides information to survivors. 

The Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication (OEDCA) issues final agency 

decisions and orders on the merits of EEO complaints and on any relief that may be available, 

and reports cases involving a finding of intentional discrimination or retaliation against 

employees to the VA Secretary or Deputy Secretary. Complainants who are dissatisfied with a 

final agency decision or order may either appeal to the EEOC (or in some cases the Merit 

Systems Protection Board) or file a civil action in an appropriate United States District Court. 

The Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) advocates for the maximum 

practicable participation of small, disadvantaged, Veteran-owned, women-owned, and 

empowerment zone businesses in contracts awarded by the VA and in subcontracts, which are 

awarded by VA’s prime contractors. 

The Advisory Committee Management Office (ACMO) provides administrative and management 

support to the Department’s 26 Federal Advisory Committees. VA’s advisory committees solicit 

advice and recommendations from outside experts and the public concerning programs for which 

the Department is responsible for by law. The office establishes clear goals, standards, and 

uniform procedures for Advisory Committee activities and ensures that all VA Advisory 

Committees comply with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and other 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 13

Federal laws, regulations and the VA Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public as 

appropriate and announced in the Federal Register. 

VA Diversity Council 

The VA Diversity Council (VADC) serves as an independent executive level body that provides 

advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on areas related to diversity 

and inclusion. The Council is comprised of representatives from each of the Department’s major 

organizations, staff offices, and stakeholders. It serves as a communications link between the 

workforce and leadership and as a forum to share best practices, consider new initiatives, 

monitor progress, leverage resources, and provide accountability in the area of organizational 

diversity and inclusion. The VADC also ensures that diversity and inclusion considerations are 

integrated throughout VA’s strategic planning efforts, business practices, and organizational 

components. 

Administrations 

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mission is to provide exceptional health care to 

America’s Veterans. VHA’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion advances diversity, cultural 

competency, and inclusion within VHA, serves as a proponent and resource to fully leverage the 

diversity of thoughts, knowledge, skills and experiences in the workforce to develop innovative 

processes and solutions within our healthcare system. The office coordinates diversity and 

inclusion efforts across VHA by aligning essential business strategies and programs for optimal 

performance, and provides guidance to senior-level executives. The VHA Diversity and 

Inclusion (D&I) Subcommittee of the National Leadership Council’s Workforce Committee 

strategically aligns programs, strategies, and initiatives to achieve the Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) and VHA diversity and inclusion goals. 

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides benefits and services to Veterans and their 

families in a responsive, timely, and compassionate manner in recognition of their service to our 

nation. Those benefits and services include compensation, pension, education, loan guarantee, 

vocational rehabilitation and employment, insurance, and fiduciary services. In order to carry 

out this mission effectively, VBA is committed to the implementation of equal and affirmative 

employment policies and objectives that support recruiting, retaining, and advancing highly 

skilled individuals, who will enhance the quality, productivity, and diversity of its workforce.

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) honors Veterans and their families with final 

resting places in national shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and 

sacrifice to our Nation. NCA provides burial space for Veterans and their eligible family 

members, maintains national cemeteries as national shrines, marks Veterans’ graves with a 

Government-furnished headstone, marker or medallion, provides Presidential Memorial 

Certificates in recognition of Veterans’ service to a grateful nation, and administers grants for 

establishing or expanding state and tribal government Veterans cemeteries. NCA has the 

responsibility to manifest sustained progress towards a diverse workforce which is attuned with 

the American population. 
14 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Assistant Secretaries 

The Office of Management (OM) is responsible for directing the Department’s budgetary, 

financial, capital asset management, and business oversight functions as well as corporate 

analysis and evaluation. OM has two primary roles — operational, in support of the 

Department’s Administrations and Staff Offices so they can accomplish their missions; and 

stewardship, to ensure for the Secretary VA’s compliance with laws, policies, and directions 

from external organizations such as OMB, Treasury, GSA, GAO and Congress. OM is under the 

direction of Assistant Secretary for Management who serves as the Department’s Chief Financial 

Officer, Performance Improvement Officer, Energy Executive, Environmental Executive, and 

Real Property Executive. OM comprises the following five major organizational elements that 

report to the Assistant Secretary for Management: Office of Budget (OB); Office of Finance 

(OF); Office of Asset Enterprise Management (OAEM); Office of Business Oversight (OBO); 

Office of Corporate Analysis and Evaluation (CAE).

The Office of Information and Technology (OIT), through Chief Information Officer, is the 

principal advisor to the Secretary on all matters relating to the management of VA’s information 

and technology (IT). OIT provides strategic and technical direction, guidance, and policy to 

ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs’ IT resources are acquired and managed in a 

manner that abides by Federal laws and regulations. OI&T delivers available, adaptable, secure, 

and cost-effective technology to VA and acts as a steward for most of VA’s IT assets and 

resources. OI&T strives to provide innovative tools that enable excellent customer service. 

OI&T works with its customers in the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits

Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration to develop and maintain products and 

systems that serve our Veterans and further VA advancements.

The Office of Policy and Planning (OPP) serves as the principal advisor to VA leaders on all 

matters of policy and organizational strategy. OPP serves Veterans by providing VA decision 

makers with the advice, counsel, and support necessary to fulfill the VA mission and to 

maximize Veteran satisfaction. Specifically, OPP develops and reviews Departmental policy, 

analyzes Veteran trends and statistics, evaluates and oversees VA transformation initiatives, 

guides VA’s strategic planning, and supports the Secretary’s vision to transform VA into a highperforming 21st century organization. OPP maintains six business lines (integrative functions) 

across VA: Data Governance and Analysis; Policy; Corporate Analysis and Evaluation; 

Enterprise Program Management; Interagency Collaboration and Integration; VA Center for 

Innovation.

The Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness (OSP) coordinates the Department’s 

emergency management, preparedness, security, and law enforcement activities to ensure the 

Department can continue to perform VA’s Mission Essential Functions under all circumstances 

across the spectrum of threats. 

The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) is responsible for providing VA-wide 

guidance for such programs as human resources management, diversity and inclusion, 

discrimination complaint resolution, labor-management relations, training, and general 

administrative support (primarily services to VA Central Office). The Assistant Secretary serves 

as the Department’s Designated Agency Safety and Health Official and is responsible for 

administering the Occupational Safety and Health and Workers’ Compensation programs. The 

Assistant Secretary also serves as the Department’s Chief Human Capital Officer and EEO 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 15

Director, advising and assisting the Secretary in carrying out VA’s responsibilities for selecting, 

developing, training, and managing a high quality workforce in accordance with merit systems 

principles and EEO laws and regulations. The Assistant Secretary serves as the Department’s 

Dispute Resolution Specialist under the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act. Under the 

auspices of HRA, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) is responsible for leading the effort 

to foster a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment through policy development, 

workforce analysis, outreach, retention, and education strategies. The Office of Resolution 

Management (ORM) is responsible for managing the EEO complaint and alternative dispute 

resolution (ADR) programs in VA. The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) is 

responsible for leading VA’s human capital management strategy and policies. 

The Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPIA) serves as the Department’s liaison in 

all intergovernmental affairs matters and is the primary point of contact with Federal, state, local, 

American Indian, and Native Alaskan Government officials. In international affairs, OPIA 

coordinates with other Federal agencies in developing programs and subject matter exchanges 

for representatives of foreign governments concerning Veteran issues. 

The Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) has the primary role to advocate for 

pro-Veteran legislation which supports our diverse Veteran population. OCLA accomplishes 

this through the legislative proposal process and through numerous engagements with Congress, 

as well as providing information briefings, responding to letters and requests for information,

and testifying at hearings. OCLA is also the primary advisor to the Secretary on congressional 

issues and acts as the primary liaison between Congress and the Department. 

OCLA has the overall responsibility for coordinating Departmental relations and activities with 

Congress. OCLA is the focal point for the Department’s interactions with Congress and the 

management and coordination of congressional affairs. OCLA manages congressional hearings, 

briefings, and site visits, and ensures Congress receives pertinent and timely information about 

VA programs and policies and items of congressional interest. In addition, OCLA provides 

support and assistance with respect to specific legislative issues and develops and manages the 

Department’s annual legislative program. OCLA also provides administrative support to the 

Department’s 24 advisory committees, which provide the Secretary with important feedback on 

VA’s programs and services. 

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) is responsible for making decisions on behalf of the 

Secretary when claims for Veterans’ Benefits are presented for appellate review. BVA’s mission 

is to conduct hearings and issue timely, understandable, and quality decisions for Veterans and 

other appellants in compliance with the requirements of law (38 United States Code Section 

7101(a)). The Board’s responsibilities relative to diversity and inclusion parallel those for VA 

as a whole: to actively foster a diverse workplace and an inclusive work environment that 

ensures equal opportunity and respect for an inclusive value system to best serve our Nation’s 

Veterans. 

Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides executive leadership and sets strategic direction for a 

nationwide staff of auditors, investigators, inspectors, and support personnel who conduct 

independent oversight reviews and investigations in VA. OIG oversight is designed to improve 

the economy, effectiveness and efficiency of programs, and to prevent and to detect criminal 

activity, waste, abuse, and fraud.
16 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

The Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC) is a multifunctional organization 

responsible for directing the acquisition, logistics, construction, and leasing functions within VA. 

OALC provides direct operational support to the Department’s administrations and staff offices 

through its three major organizational components: Office of Acquisition and Logistics, Office 

of Acquisition Operations, and Office of Construction and Facilities Management. 

The Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL) is committed to leading a multitalented diverse 

Federal workforce while upholding a work environment with standards of conduct that are fair, 

free of discrimination, and free of barriers for all employees. OAL monitors and ensures full 

participation in meeting VA’s requirements for mandatory EEO training. 

The Office of Acquisition Operations (OAO) provides comprehensive operational and strategic 

acquisition support for VA’s highly complex acquisition requirements. OAO extends its 

diversity and inclusion responsibilities to workforce related issues such as recruitment and 

staffing, professional development opportunities, resource and workload management, 

promotions and recognition, and community outreach. 

The Office of Construction and Facilities Management (CFM) is responsible for the planning, 

design, and construction of all major construction projects greater than $10 million. In addition, 

CFM acquires real property for use by VA elements through the purchase of land and buildings, 

as well as long-term lease acquisitions. Through the construction and real property programs, 

CFM delivers to Veterans, high quality buildings, additions, large scale renovations, and 

structural enhancements.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 17

Goal 1: “Build a diverse, high-performing, 

workforce that reflects all segments of society.”

The Federal Government is facing major challenges as well as opportunities in the 21st century. 

Globalization and the advancement of technology have led to the erosion of national boundaries, 

leading to greater competition for human capital and even greater urgency for government to 

reflect the diverse constituencies is serves. Federal agencies must be positioned to recruit, hire, 

promote, and retain a more diverse workforce so that the diversity can be leveraged to improve 

services to the public. 

VA Diversity Index 

In FY 2010, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, a program office within the Office of Human 

Resources and Administration, set out to develop an innovative and efficient metric to reframe 

the concept of organizational diversity. In 2011, VA introduced the concept of the Diversity 

Index to the Federal Government. 

The Diversity Index is a single measure of workforce diversity based on the convergence of an 

organization’s aggregate workforce representation by race, ethnicity, and gender (REG) with the 

Civilian Labor Force (CLF)1 or the Relevant Civilian Labor Force (RCLF)2

. At the national 

level, the benchmark for VA is the CLF. 

 1 CLF consists of all people 16 years of age or over, excluding those in the Armed Forces, who are employed or 

seeking employment. The CLF contains all occupations and is an accurate comparative basis for Federal 

Government wide comparison, the largest employer in the U.S. with all occupations represented. Although 

VA tracks hiring of Individuals with Targeted Disabilities, there is no CLF or RCLF for this group.

2 RCLF reflects all people 16 years of age or older, excluding those in the Armed Forces, who are employed in 

or actively seeking employment in a specific occupation – the occupations representative of the VA 

workforce. The RCLF compares the applicants seeking specific VA occupations such as Doctors, Nurses, 

Human Resources, Veterans Benefits Claims Examiners, etc ...
18 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Applying the computation model to the VA dataset, we noticed an increasing trend. This is 

consistent with the traditional analytical approach; that is, diversity in VA’s workforce has been 

increasing over time. 

At the end of FY 2015, the Diversity Index score for VA is 90.96 percent of the CLF, and for the 

first time exceeded the 90 percent threshold with the 2010 Census Data. (The scores shown in 

Figure 1 are adjusted for the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander data separation which occurred in 

FY 2009.).

The Diversity Index is essentially the mean ratio of the normalized workforce composition by 

REG to its corresponding normalized CLF baseline, with maximum value of 100 percent. The 

rate is capped at 100 percent to avoid skewing the data due to the over-representation of any 

group. The intent is to focus on underrepresentation. The computational model for calculating 

the Diversity Index is provided below.

Let Pi = the normalize value of the REG group in the Workforce, and let Xi

= the normalized 

value of REG group in the CLF (or RCLF). The Diversity Index equals:

n M

n

i

i

X

P

−

















∑min( ,1.0)

1

Where M equals the number of instances wherePi is 0 and Xi

is 0. Currently the distinct 

number (n) of REG groups is 14.

Data Source: VSSC MD 715 Table 1: Data pulled October 7. 2015. Exclude Manilla citizens and medical 

residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and intermittent and 

pay status. CLF and RCLF data as of 2010 from Census Bureau for years prior to FY 2013 and the 2000 

 

Figure 1: Diversity Index Trend

(Permanent and Temporary)
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 19

For the REG group one of four possibilities exists:

Value in 

REG group 

in CLF = 0

Value in REG group in CLF 

> 0

Value in 

REG group 

in 

workforce 

= 0

Remove 

REG from 

computation 

model; 

increment M 

by 1

Keep REG group in 

computation model

Value in REG group in 

workforce > 0

Keep REG 

group in 

computation 

model

Keep REG 

group in 

computation 

model

The value of M is incremented only when the value of the REG group in the workforce and the 

value in its corresponding benchmark, the CLF or RCLF, are both zeroes. That is, when the 

representation of the specific group in the workforce and the CLF equal zero, the group is 

removed from the computational model to minimize the skewing effects of mathematical mean 

construct.

We fully acknowledge the limitations of our methodology; primarily it excludes disability, age, 

religion, and a host of non-statutory dimensions of diversity. While we continue to examine 

efficient, effective, and defensible ways to measure these other important dimensions, we remain 

confident that this method serves as a valid and significant first step in establishing an effective 

tool for internal analysis and inter-agency comparisons. The Diversity Index represents a 

significant first step in establishing a common benchmark for measuring demographic diversity 

as commonly defined in the Federal Government.
20 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Workforce Representation 

While VA consistently defines diversity in the broadest context including the diversity of 

thought and perspective, we measure diversity by evaluating the demographic composition of 

our workforce relative to the RCLF and CLF. 

As provided in Figure 2, the demographic representation of VA’s workforce is higher for all 

groups except for White women, Hispanic men and women, and Asian men when compared to 

the 2010 RCLF. Since FY 2014, the proportions of Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Hawaiian/ 

Pacific Islanders, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Two or More races in the VA workforce 

increased. The proportion of White men and women decreased in FY 2015.

Figure 2: VA Workforce vs. CLF and RCLF (FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Comparing the workforce changes of each demographic group to overall workforce can further 

highlight trends in participation rates. While VA’s workforce had a net change of 4.31 percent 

from FY 2014 to FY 2015, White men and women experienced slower growth rates as shown in 

Figure 3. The representation of Black men and women, Hispanic men and women, Asian men 

and women, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander men and women, and American Indian men and 

women grew at a faster rate than the VA average rate of 4.31 percent.

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Exclude Manilla citizens and medical residents. 

Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and intermittent and pay status. CLF and
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 21

Figure 3: Net Change by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender (FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Workforce demographic distribution is affected by hires as well as separations. Hires of White 

men, Black men and women, Asian men and women, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander men and 

women, American Indian/Alaska Native men and women, and Two or More Races men were 

above the RCLF availability. However, the hires of White women, and Hispanic men and 

women, and Two or More Races women were less than the RCLF; Hispanic women were hired 

at 64 percent of their availability according to the RCLF, the lowest among all groups, White 

women were hired at 74 percent of their RCLF availability, the second lowest, Hispanic men 

were 79 percent of RCLF, and Two or More Races women were 97 of RCLF (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: VA Hires vs. CLF and RCLF (FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women

FY 2014 

Workforce 85,983 122,062 32,093 51,247 10,926 12,252 9,740 15,432 472 549 2,061 3,134 433 670 347,054

FY 2015 

Workforce 88,546 126,202 33,493 53,995 11,455 13,057 10,356 16,560 527 630 2,174 3,322 688 1,005 362,010

Net Change 2.98% 3.39% 4.36% 5.36% 4.84% 6.57% 6.32% 7.31% 11.65% 14.75% 5.48% 6.00% 58.89% 50.00% 4.31%

Net Change by Race, Ethnicity and Gender (FY 2014 to FY 2015)

Permanent and Temporary

White Black Hispanic Asian

Native 

Hawaiian/

Pacific Islander

American Indian/

Alaska Native

Two or More 

Races Total

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources UREP Report retrieved on December 21, 2015. Exclude Manila citizens and medical 

residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full-time, part-time, and intermittent and pay status.
22 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Since 2010, the number of employees in virtually all historically underrepresented groups, with 

the exception of the two or more races group, has generally increased along with the total 

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report received December 21, 2015. Exclude Manilla 

citizens and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and intermittent and pay status. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 23

workforce. Figure 5 provides the demographic composition of the workforce over the past five 

years. The decrease in the population of the two or more races is attributed to a correction which 

properly aligns with EEOC and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) business rules 

accounting for each race and ethnicity group.

Figure 5: Workforce Trend (FY 2011 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Applicant Flow Data

Strategic outreach to all segments of the U.S. population remains the most powerful tool to 

increase the diversity of any workforce. Measuring the success of outreach effort requires the 

collection of applicant flow data, the enumeration of the REG of the applicant pool. More 

importantly, the movement of each REG group through the various stages of the application 

process allows the effective monitoring and elimination of hidden barriers to full opportunity. 

VA made significant strides in collecting and analyzing applicant flow data. 

Since 2010, VA has been working with the Office of Personnel Management to enhance its 

ability to collect and analyze applicant flow data for VA vacancies advertised on USA Jobs. 

Applicant flow data are provided by job applicants on a voluntary basis and include information 

on the applicant’s demographic background as well as Veterans preference. In FY 2015, about 

47 percent of job applicants volunteered demographic information.

# % # % # % # % # %

Men 78,636 24.95% 80,824 25.01% 83,600 24.87% 85,983 24.78% 88,546 24.46%

Women 113,543 36.03% 115,678 35.80% 119,585 35.58% 122,062 35.17% 126,202 34.86%

Men 27,858 8.84% 28,905 8.94% 30,572 9.10% 32,093 9.25% 33,493 9.25%

Women 45,571 14.46% 46,893 14.51% 49,496 14.73% 51,247 14.77% 53,995 14.92%

Men 9,835 3.12% 10,032 3.10% 10,428 3.10% 10,926 3.15% 11,455 3.16%

Women 11,218 3.56% 11,463 3.55% 11,836 3.52% 12,252 3.53% 13,057 3.61%

Men 8,159 2.59% 8,513 2.63% 9,236 2.75% 9,740 2.81% 10,356 2.86%

Women 13,155 4.17% 13,592 4.21% 14,644 4.36% 15,432 4.45% 16,560 4.57%

Men 290 0.09% 325 0.10% 401 0.12% 472 0.14% 527 0.15%

Women 371 0.12% 402 0.12% 489 0.15% 549 0.16% 630 0.17%

Men 1,460 0.46% 1,518 0.47% 1,950 0.58% 2,061 0.59% 2,174 0.60%

Women 2,156 0.68% 2,231 0.69% 2,910 0.87% 3,134 0.90% 3,322 0.92%

Men 1134 0.36% 1115 0.35% 389 0.12% 433 0.12% 688 0.19%

Women 1730 0.55% 1,663 0.51% 583 0.17% 670 0.19% 1005 0.28%

Men 127,372 40.42% 131,232 40.61% 136,576 40.63% 141,708 40.83% 147,239 40.67%

Women 187,744 59.58% 191,922 59.39% 199,543 59.37% 205,346 59.17% 214,771 59.33%

All 315,116 100.00% 323,154 100.00% 336,119 100.00% 347,054 100.00% 362,010 100.00%

Two or More Races

Total

White

Black

Hispanic

Asian

Native Hawaiian/ 

Pacific Islander

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report received December 21, 2015. Exclude Manilla 

citizens and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and intermittent and pay status. 
24 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Applicant flow data indicates that VA’s outreach efforts are reaching all segments of the 

population. Shown in Figure 6, all groups applied at a higher rate than their 2010 CLF 

availability, except for White men and women. Similarly the selection rate for all groups is 

higher than the CLF availability. (Due to the voluntary nature of this data, survey sampling 

remains an issue of consideration for the low applications of White men and women.)

Figure 6: Applicant Flow Data (FY 2015)

(Applied and Selected vs. 2010 CLF)

Aside from the ability to measure outreach’s return on investment, applicant flow data provide 

immense value in evaluating the internal progression of candidates through each stage of the 

recruitment process. Figure 7 illustrates the progression of groups with less than expected 

representation including White women, Hispanic men and women, and Asian men through each 

Data Source: Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 25

component of the application process. Overall, the selection of White women is higher than their 

application proportions. While Hispanic men and women numbers appear to decrease at each 

recruitment step, the overall selections are higher when compared to the CLF availability. The 

selection of Asian men remains relatively consistent with application numbers.

Figure 7: Applicant Flow Data: Underrepresented Groups (FY 2015)

(By Recruiting Component)

Data Source: Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
26 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Leadership

Studies have shown that workforce diversity is a key component for high performance. 

Accordingly, in order to have a high performing organization in an increasingly globalized 

society, diversity in leadership ranks is essential. To that end, we examine diversity at the senior 

leadership levels to identify barriers to equal opportunity in addition to looking at overall 

diversity. 

The Senior Executive Service (SES) is the Federal Government’s cadre of senior leadership. 

Since 2010, diversity has increased in the SES ranks at VA. As shown in Figure 8, the 

representations of White women, Hispanic men, Asian men and women, and American 

Indian/Alaska Native men and women increased.

Figure 8: SES Onboard Trend (FY 2011 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary, Exclude Title 38 Equivalents)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Men 54.04% 53.89% 50.14% 47.35% 48.83%

Women 27.58% 28.42% 32.31% 32.31% 31.29%

Men 5.29% 4.83% 4.46% 5.29% 5.85%

Women 5.57% 5.09% 5.01% 5.01% 4.97%

Men 3.34% 3.49% 3.62% 4.46% 3.51%

Women 1.11% 0.80% 0.84% 1.11% 0.88%

Men 1.11% 1.07% 1.11% 1.67% 1.46%

Women 0.00% 0.27% 1.11% 1.11% 1.17%

Men 0.28% 0.27% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Women 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

Men 0.56% 0.27% 0.56% 0.56% 0.88%

Women 0.28% 0.54% 0.56% 0.56% 0.58%

Men 0.56% 0.80% 0.28% 0.28% 0.29%

Women 0.28% 0.27% 0.00% 0.28% 0.29%

Men 65.18% 64.61% 60.17% 59.61% 60.82%

Women 34.82% 35.39% 39.83% 40.38% 39.18%

All 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Two or More Races

Total

White

Black

Hispanic

Asian

Native Hawaiian/ 

Pacific Islander

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report 

received December 21, 2015. Exclude Manilla citizens and medical residents. Include 

permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and intermittent and pay status. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 27

Since President Obama’s first inauguration, the 

net change in women representation in the overall 

workforce and SES ranks have been increasing in 

VA, as shown in Figure 9. From FY 2010 to FY 

2015, women in VA’s workforce grew at rate of 

21.32 percent and 27.62 percent in SES. 

Comparing the demographic makeup of VA’s 

SES population to the VA’s permanent workforce, 

the standard baseline metric, nearly all groups 

have lower than expected representation except 

for White and Hispanic men. Figure 10 depicts 

the demographic qualities of VA SES onboard 

compared to VA’s total permanent workforce in 

FY 2015. White women are 71 percent of 

benchmark. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 

men and women have the lowest SES representation at 0.00 percent. Asian women have the 

second lowest SES representation at 20 percent.

Figure 10: SES Onboard vs. Benchmarks (FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women

White Black Hispanic Asian

Native

Hawaiian/

Pacific Islander

American

Indian/

Alaska Native

Two or More

Races

VA Perm. 24.46% 34.86% 9.25% 14.92% 3.16% 3.61% 2.86% 4.57% 0.15% 0.17% 0.60% 0.92% 0.19% 0.28%

VA SES 38.48% 24.65% 4.61% 3.92% 3.16% 0.69% 1.20% 0.92% 0.00% 0.00% 0.69% 0.46% 0.43% 0.43%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

21.32%

27.62%

0% 20% 40%

All

Women

SES

Women

Figure 9: Women Net Change

(FY 2010 to FY 2015)

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by 

Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report received 

December 21, 2015. With Data Exclusions 

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report received December 21, 2015. Exclude 

Manilla citizens and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and intermittent and 

pay status. 
28 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Leadership pipeline grades (GS/GM grades 13 through 15) represent another dimension of 

leadership diversity. Since 2010, the diversity in the leadership pipeline has improved. Women 

representation increased 45 percent since President Obama took office in 2009. Figure 11 

provides perspectives on diversity in leadership pipeline.

Figure 11: GS/GM 13-15 Onboard Trend (FY 2010 – 2015

(Permanent and Temporary)

Veterans 

On November 9, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Order launching the Governmentwide Veterans Employment Initiative, designed to increase the number of Veterans in the 

Federal workforce. The initiative stresses the importance of recruiting and training Veterans and 

helping them adjust to Government service as civilians. The representation of Veterans and 

Disabled Veterans in the VA Workforce has steadily increased. 

During FY 2015, Veterans grew at a higher rate compared to the overall VA workforce; that is, 

4.55 percent to 4.31 percent (see Figure 15). While almost 33 percent of VA employees were 

Veterans, the representation is still short of the Secretary’s FY 2017 onboard goal of 35 percent. 

VA currently ranks third among Federal Agencies in the employment of Veterans according to 

OPM3. VA’s employment of Veterans with service related disabilities increased in FY 2015, 

relative to FY 2014 levels. Veterans with service-related disabilities make up over 12 percent of 

 3 OPM’s FY 2014 Employment of Veterans in the Federal Executive Branch report cited the Department of 

Defense as having the highest representation of Veterans (46.9 percent). The Department of Transportation 

ranked second with 36.4 percent. 

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Men 7,917 39.89% 8,422 39.33% 8,942 38.73% 9,691 37.80% 10,061 37.15% 10,381 36.36%

Women 7,186 36.21% 7,794 36.40% 8,383 36.31% 9,436 36.80% 10,024 37.02% 10,618 37.19%

Men 959 4.83% 1,067 4.98% 1,221 5.29% 1,384 5.40% 1,456 5.38% 1,539 5.39%

Women 1,623 8.18% 1,782 8.32% 1,970 8.53% 2,213 8.63% 2,332 8.61% 2,472 8.66%

Men 498 2.51% 520 2.43% 556 2.41% 597 2.33% 635 2.34% 676 2.37%

Women 441 2.22% 466 2.18% 503 2.18% 551 2.15% 586 2.16% 619 2.17%

Men 500 2.52% 537 2.51% 592 2.56% 691 2.70% 733 2.71% 816 2.86%

Women 432 2.18% 484 2.26% 541 2.34% 726 2.83% 858 3.17% 982 3.44%

Men 7 0.04% 8 0.04% 10 0.04% 13 0.05% 19 0.07% 21 0.07%

Women 15 0.08% 15 0.07% 17 0.07% 18 0.07% 23 0.08% 25 0.09%

Men 71 0.36% 73 0.34% 84 0.36% 125 0.49% 135 0.50% 144 0.50%

Women 65 0.33% 72 0.34% 84 0.36% 136 0.53% 153 0.57% 157 0.55%

Men 64 0.32% 81 0.38% 85 0.37% 27 0.11% 31 0.11% 50 0.18%

Women 69 0.35% 91 0.42% 99 0.43% 30 0.12% 33 0.12% 54 0.19%

Men 10,016 50.47% 10,708 50.01% 11,490 49.77% 12,528 48.86% 13,070 48.27% 13,627 47.72%

Women 9,831 49.53% 10,704 49.99% 11,597 50.23% 13,110 51.14% 14,009 51.73% 14,927 52.28%

All 19,847 100.00% 21,412 100.00% 23,087 100.00% 25,638 100.00% 27,079 100.00% 28,554 100.00%

Two or More Races

Total

White

Black

Hispanic

Asian

Native Hawaiian/ 

Pacific Islander

American Indian/ 

Alaska Native

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report received December 21, 2015. 

Exclude Manilla citizens and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, 

and intermittent and pay status. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 29

the VA workforce. From FY 2014 to FY 2015, the representation of disabled Veterans grew 

nearly three times faster compared the overall workforce. VA employment of disabled Veterans 

currently ranks second among Federal Agencies after Department of Defense.

Figure 12: Veterans (FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

FY 2014 FY 2015 Net 

Change Population Percent Population Percent

Total Employees 347,054 100.00% 362,010 100.00% 4.31%

Disabled Veterans 41,939 12.08% 45,965 12.70% 9.60%

Total Veterans 113,432 32.68% 118,597 32.76% 4.55%

All Men 82,665 72.88% 85,900 72.43% 3.91%

All Women 30,767 27.12% 32,697 27.57% 6.27%

White Male 47,087 41.51% 48,667 41.04% 3.36%

White Female 15,815 13.94% 16,688 14.07% 5.52%

Black Male 24,467 21.57% 25,472 21.48% 4.11%

Black Female 11,367 10.02% 12,081 10.19% 6.28%

Hispanic Male 6,684 5.89% 6,981 5.89% 4.44%

Hispanic Female 1,946 1.72% 2,091 1.76% 7.45%

Asian Male 2,629 2.32% 2,749 2.32% 4.56%

Asian Female 824 0.73% 903 0.76% 9.59%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Male 307 0.27% 337 0.28% 9.77%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Female 128 0.11% 155 0.13% 21.09%

American Indian/Alaska Native Male 1,180 1.04% 1,248 1.05% 5.76%

American Indian/Alaska Native Female 474 0.42% 512 0.43% 8.02%

Two or More Races Male 311 0.27% 446 0.38% 43.41%

Two or More Races Female 213 0.19% 267 0.23% 25.35%

Individuals with Targeted Disabilities 

The employment of individuals with disabilities remains a focus for the nation as well as VA. 

Employees with reportable disabilities make up nearly 14.34 percent of the VA FY 2015 

workforce, up from FY 2014 levels of 13.81 percent. Individuals with targeted disabilities 

(IWTD), identified by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for special 

emphasis (deafness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, total paralysis, epilepsy, severe 

intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism) were 2.16 percent of the VA 

workforce, higher than the 2% onboard goal. 

Data Source: VSSC Human Resources (Onboard by Race, ethnicity, and gender). Report received December 21, 2015. 

Exclude Manilla citizens and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, 

and intermittent and pay status. 

Figure 13: Individuals with Disabilities Onboard (FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)
30 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Representation of IWTDs as a percentage of total hires in FY 2015 was 3.05 percent, surpassing 

the Secretary’s 3 percent hiring goal for IWTDs for the second year in a row. 

VA’s proportion of IWTD has been steadily increasing since FY 2009. From FY 2014 to FY 

2015, the onboard ratio for IWTD grew faster than the VA overall workforce; that is, 7.12 

percent net change compared to 4.31 percent for the total workforce, as shown in Figure 14.

Net Change

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2014 FY 2015

Total Workforce 347,054 362,010 100.00% 100.00% 4.31%

No Disability Reported 289,370 299,344 83.38% 82.69% 3.45%

Reportable Disability 47,921 51,928 13.81% 14.34% 8.36%

Targeted Disability 7,292 7,811 2.10% 2.16% 7.12%

Number Percent

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2014 FY 2015

Total Hires 49,533 54,980 100.00% 100.00% 11.00%

No Disability Reported 38,917 44,119 78.57% 80.25% 13.37%

Other Disability 8,995 9,186 18.16% 16.71% 2.12%

Targeted Disability 1,621 1,675 3.27% 3.05% 3.33%

Number Percent Net Change

Figure 14: Hires of Individuals with Disabilities (FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Data Source: VSSC Employee Cube retrieved in ProClarity December 21, 2015. Exclude Manilla citizens 

and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part time, and 

intermittent and pay status. “Other disability” is employees with disabilities that are not targeted 

disabilities. “No Disability Reported” includes those absent a disability code.

Data Source: VSSC Employee Cube retrieved in ProClarity December 21, 2015. Exclude Manilla 

citizens and medical residents. Include permanent and temporary employees in full time, part 

time, and intermittent and pay status. “Other disability” is employees with disabilities that are 

not targeted disabilities. “No Disability Reported” includes those absent a disability code.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 31

FY 2015 Organizational Accomplishments 

Office of the Secretary 

The Office of the Secretary (OSVA), in FY 2014, created the Office of Accountability Review 

(OAR) to address Whistleblower related matters. OSVA is also the parent office of the Center 

for Minority Veterans, the Center for Women Veterans, Center for Faith-based and 

Neighborhood Partnerships, and the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint 

Adjudication. 

The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) collaborated with minority serving institutions and 

organizations to provide information on VA benefits, services, and job opportunities. During the 

course of the year, CMV staff served as a resource to the following minority stakeholder 

organizations: Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs (MCIA); The United South & Eastern 

Tribes (USET); Men’s Health Network (MHN); Society for American Indian Government 

Employees (SAIGE); Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC); Southwest Native 

American Veterans Association (SWNAVA); National Indian Health Board (NIHB); Paralyzed 

Veterans of America (PVA); Department of Defense on Pacific Partnership in the Pacific 

Islands; HHS Region 9 Federal Regional Council, Outer Pacific (Islands) Committee; Asian 

Pacific American Federal Network; Asian Pacific Cultural Center- Tacoma, Washington; Asian 

Pacific American Heritage Organization (APAHO), Virginia Beach, VA; Filipino-American 

Friendship Day Committee (FAFD), Virginia Beach, VA; Pacific Islanders American Group 

of VA - Virginia Beach, VA; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); National 

Council of La Raza; American GI Forum; International Association of Latino Public 

Administration; National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE); Prince 

George’s County Community College; Veterans Upward Bound; Prince William County 

Veterans Council; Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals; National Association for 

Black Veterans (NABVETS); Congressional Black Caucus (CBC); Montford Point Marines; 

Blacks in Government (BIG); National Naval Associations; National Association for the 

Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); ROCKS Inc., and National Naval Association.

The Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) worked directly with the 

Veteran Employment Office to hire a highly diverse workgroup. 

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) leveraged recruitment strategies to maximize diversity in 

hiring and participated in the National Diversity Intern Program. OGC also produced training 

focused on the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act for use within and outside of 

OGC. Internal learning activities included Diversity and inclusion training and specific topics 

including LGBT issues, historical and cultural awareness. 

Office of Inspector General (OIG) hired more than 90 new employees with the goal of creating 

an exceptionally qualified, diverse workforce dedicated to helping VA ensure that Veterans 

and their families receive the care, support, and recognition they have earned through 

service to our country. To support the need for diversity in thought and perspective, OIG 

selected employees from other VA organizations and Government agencies, private business, 

and the military and Veteran community. These different sources add a richness and depth of 

perspective that contribute positively to the diversity within OIG. Bringing in new employees 

from different backgrounds, rather than hiring exclusively from within the Inspector General 

community, has helped to increase the flow of new ideas and contributions to the organization.
32 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Throughout FY 2015, OIG made great strides in hiring women and employees of non-white 

ethnicities. More than 53 percent of all hires in 2015 were women or employees of non-white 

ethnicities. Furthermore, women and employees of non-white ethnicities were the recipients of 

approximately 75 percent of all promotions during FY 2015. Overall, the consistent pursuit of 

diversity has helped to create an OIG workforce that is comprised of 55 percent minority and 

female employees. Each of these measures demonstrate OIG’s commitment and realization of 

diversity in thought and experience that will benefit OIG’s efforts to provide appropriate 

oversight as required statutorily. 

The Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication’s (OEDCA) in collaboration 

with ODI, ORM, and the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), and the 

Administrations shared responsibility for responsiveness and legal compliance with EEO laws 

and regulations. OEDCA received 1,082 requests for decisions and closed 1,064 cases in FY 

2015. OEDCA decision output increased 9.5 percent and case inventory was reduced 47 percent 

from FY 2014 – 253 as of Sept 30, 2014 to 136 as of Sept. 30, 2015.

VA Diversity Council 

The VA Diversity Council (VADC) administered the Secretary’s Annual Diversity and Inclusion 

Excellence Awards Program to recognize individuals and teams for demonstrating excellence in 

promoting diversity and inclusion in VA. 

Administrations 

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) increase its use of Schedule A hiring authority to hire 

highly-qualified individuals with disabilities. Overall, VHA appointed 1,192 employees with 

disabilities using the Schedule A hiring authority equaling 3.8 percent of the total appointments 

at VHA during the fiscal year. In FY 2015, 197 employees appointed under Schedule A hiring 

authority were converted to permanent positions; and the employment of individuals with 

targeted disabilities increased from 2.09 percent in FY 2014 to 2.15 percent in FY 2015. The 

employment of Veterans with service related disabilities increased from 10.08 percent in FY 

2014 to 10.65 percent in FY 2015, representing an increase of 3,274 Veterans with a service 

related disability in the workforce. VHA’s EEO/AEO continued the practice of sending 

quarterly reports to Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Directors to include resources 

for the employment of individuals with targeted disabilities.

In FY 2015 VHA’s workforce became more diversified. Diversity changes during the FY 

included workforce percentage increases for the following historically excluded groups (HEG): 

black females; Hispanic males and females; Asian males and females; Native Hawaiian Pacific 

Islander females; American Indian/ Alaska Native males and females. Increases in workforce 

diversity and inclusion further demonstrate VHA’s commitment to building a culturally 

competent workforce.

In FY 2015, VHA employed 70 National Diversity Interns (NDIP); 41 of the interns were funded 

by VA Central Office central fund and 29 were funded by VHA. The NDIP provides an 

opportunity for students to obtain work experience at various medical centers throughout the 

nation. The students completed a broad range of projects that included: marketing and 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 33

communication of employment and education n services; working in the Health Administration 

Service; exploring the impacts of wait time; and telephone access on patient aligned care teams.

The VHA Healthcare Recruitment and Market Office (HRMO) continued to advocate for 

activities which support the recruitment of a diverse population of applicants. FY 2015 

marketing plan activities included a recruitment booth at the National Association of Asian 

American Professionals (NAAAP) in Dallas, TX on August 6-8, 2015. NAAAP is the premier 

leadership organization for Asian professionals. VHA also advertised with GoldSea Asian 

Media Group, delivering a total of 588,235 impressions and reaching up to 17 million U.S. Asian 

consumers.

The VHA EEO/AEO continued its use of the VHA EEO Quarterly Survey, a proactive tool 

created to assess the Medical Center EEO Programs on the six essential elements of a 

comprehensive EEO program as described by the EEO Commission’s MD 715.

VHA continued to deliver Unconscious Bias training to the workforce. VISN 16 developed and 

implemented the Unconscious Bias Workshop which was presented in a four part series which 

provided VISN 16 employees with the skills needed to mitigate their biases and improve the 

services to Veterans.

The VHA EEO/AEO began the process of sharing “Best Practices” across components. The 

VISN 5 EEO Office incorporated pre-mediations as a fundamental part of the process for all 

mediations resulting in significant increases in resolutions and settlements at the VISN. This 

practice was shared with other VHA EEO offices nationwide.

VHA ODI continued collaborating with OPM, and MyCareer@VA, a dedicated resource for VA 

employment and accessible to the public, to have the VHA Selective Placement Program 

Coordinators List placed on their respective web sites.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) had a diverse workforce totaling 21,870 employees. 

The representation of White men increased to 31.13 percent (6,809), White women decrease to 

26.62 percent (5,821), Black men increased to 12.73 percent (2,783), Black women increased to 

17.42 (3,810), Hispanic men remained at 3.02 percent (661), Hispanic women increased to 2.78 

percent (697), Asian men increased to 1.57 percent (343), Asian women increased to 1.41

percent (308), Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander men remained at 0.21 percent (47), Native 

Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander women increased to 0.13 percent (28), American Indian/Alaska 

Native men increased to 1.10 percent (240), American Indian/Alaska Native women decreased to 

1.39 percent (305), Two or More Races men remained at 0.21 percent (45), and Two or More 

Races women remained at 0.29 percent (63).

Additionally, the representation of individuals with targeted disabilities (IWTDs) expressed as a 

percentage of VBA’s workforce increased from 2.41 percent in FY 2014 to 2.15 percent in FY 

2015. IWTDs represent 4.27 percent of VBA’s new hires in FY 2015, exceeding VA’s two 

percent onboard goal and three percent of hiring goal IWTDs. Employees with reportable 

disabilities also increased from 21.48 percent in FY 2014 to 22.73 percent in FY 2015. 

In FY 2015, VBA’s Veterans on board was 54.0 percent, exceeding VA’s FY 2017 goal to have 

35 percent of its workforce comprised of Veterans. Of VBA’s Veteran employees, 34.89 percent 

were disabled Veterans. 
34 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

VBA representatives participated in a minimum of eight national or local job fairs. The New 

York Regional Office (RO) participated in four inner city job fairs where the majority of the 

attendees were Hispanic, Asian, and White females, all of which are underrepresented groups. 

The Waco, Texas RO participated in a job fair at Baylor University and three job fairs at Texas 

State University (San Marcoss) which has a 45 percent minority student population that includes 

a large representation of Hispanic males and females.

VBA sponsored a diverse group of 24 interns through the VBA FY 2015 Summer Internship 

Program. The total included two Hispanic interns from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and 

Universities (HACO) and three Black interns from The Washington Center (TWC). The total 

cost to sponsor the interns was $22,185 for those from HACU and $31,528 for those from TWC. 

VBA received funds from the NDIP central fund, managed by VA ODI, to sponsor and 

additional 19 interns. Two of the interns were placed at the VBA Central Office and the 

remaining 17 were place at the ROs. VBA’s budget did not allow VBA to sponsor the original 

WRP and NDIP intern goal for FY 2015. 

In FY 2015, VBA ROs participated in a pilot program to transition Service members into VA 

positions, such as Veterans Service Representatives. The pilot is a joint effort between VA and 

the Department of Defense’s Warrior Training Advancement Course. Additionally, VBA 

participated in job fairs targeted to recruit Veterans, including multiple Hiring Our Heroes job 

fairs. Transition briefings were held on military bases throughout the world to inform Veterans 

of their VA benefits as well as employment opportunities at VA. 

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) conducted the following activities in FY 2015 in 

alignment with VA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan. 

• The Interim Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs (USMA) focused on opening the lines 

of communication with NCA employees to foster an environment of transparency and 

employee engagement. As part of that effort, the Interim USMA established a central 

email repository where NCA employees could communicate directly with him and his 

staff to share their issues and concerns. 

• The Interim USMA produced brief videos on a monthly basis to share special events and 

keep employees abreast of initiative occurring at central office and in the field; the first 

video was disseminated to the workforce in September 2015. 

• The Interim USMA disseminated Secretary McDonald’s videos addressing Veterans, 

ICARE, and his expectation for excellence and the MyVA model to NCA.

• NCA’s leadership participated in the mandatory EEO, Diversity & Inclusion, and 

Conflict Management training with a 97.12 percent completion rate for FY 2015.

• The role of NCA’s Executive Diversity Council (EDC) continues to be instrumental in 

the efforts to obtain a diverse and inclusive workforce. The EDC Charter provides NCA 

National multicultural perspective that values people and the difference they bring to 

NCA’s high performance workforce; this will help develop a workforce that is reflective 

of the community it serves.

• NCA conducted applicant flow data analysis in FY 2015 and identified that Hispanics are 

applying and being hired at a higher rate than any other Historically Excluded Group 

(HEG).

• In the ongoing efforts to reach all segments of the diverse communities we serve, NCA 

senior officials, Minority Veterans Program Coordinators and other key employees 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 35

participated in over 95 outreach events to provide information on both benefits and 

employment opportunities. 

• NCA employees completed the ICARE training with a 99.12 percent completion rate. 

• NCA had a 77 percent response rate, exceeding the 60 percent national goal, in the 

annual All Employee Survey (AES) that measures overall employee satisfaction, 

specifically, job satisfaction and civility indexes.

• To educate the workforce on commemorative observances, NCA’s Special Emphasis 

committee coordinated its first “Soup”er Summit for Women’s History Month. 

Employees were encouraged to participate in this soup event to celebrate and learn about 

the many contributions women have made throughout the history our great Nation. 

• In FY 2015, NCA continued to exceed federal sector standards for employment of 

Veterans and disabled Veterans. During this FY, NCA appointed 491 employees, of 

which, 351 were Veterans representing 71 percent of total selectees. 

• NCA experienced a slight increase in Veteran workforce representation from 1,291 in FY 

2014, to 1,375 in FY 2015. NCA continues to maintain the highest Veterans workforce 

employment ratio of any federal organization. 

• NCA continues to employ a high number of Veterans with service related disabilities. 

Over the five-year period from FY 2011 through FY 2015, the representation of disabled 

Veterans in the NCA workforce increased from 22.75 percent in FY 2011 to 28.73 

percent in FY 2015. 

• NCA appointed 145 Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 

Veterans. 57 of the appointed veterans were rated 30% or more disabled, and 1 was a 

Schedule A appointment. Additionally, 80 percent of executive leadership and 

cemetery directors are Veterans. 

• The representation of individuals with targeted disabilities in the NCA workforce 

continues to increase. Over the past five years representation of IWTDs increased from 

1.34 percent in FY 2011 to 3.03 percent in FY 2015, exceeding the federal sector’s goal 

of 2.67 percent. A majority of NCA’s employees with targeted disabilities are also 

Veterans. 

• As a recruitment strategy to increase leadership diversity, NCA conducted its third annual 

job information webinars in three days to market NCA’s Cemetery Director Internship 

Program which historically has contributed to a diverse pool of qualified applicants. 

• NCA continues to support VA’s strategy to end Veterans homelessness as well as 

President Obama’s Veterans Employment Initiative (Executive Order 13518). Fifty two 

Veterans were hired as part of three cohorts since 2012; 58 percent are still employed by 

NCA and nine have been promoted beyond their entry level grade of WG-4. NCA plans 

to expand the program in FY 2016 to include apprenticeships for GS-5 Cemetery 

Representatives, with targeted recruitment of homeless women Veterans. NCA 

apprentices are hired using either Schedule A, or non-competitive Veterans hiring 

authority 30 percent disabled, or the Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment. In FY 2015, 

16 caretakers graduated from the Apprenticeship Program.
36 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Assistant Secretaries 

The Office of Management (OM) believes strives to build a diverse and inclusive workforce and 

facilitate outstanding public service through education and accountability. OM takes it seriously 

to comply with VA’s Directive 5975, Diversity Management and Equal Employment under 

Executive Order 1358. OM has a senior executive on VA’s Diversity Council. The senior 

executive participated at the quarterly Diversity Council meetings and led a team for the 

selection of nominees for the Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards. OM 

employees participated in a day of diversity training sponsored by the Minnesota Federal 

Executive Board Diversity Council. The event provided training in the areas of cultural 

awareness, career development and the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce. OM 

utilized the 2015 Centralized Workforce Recruitment Program and the Veterans Employment 

Services Office to build a highly-skilled and diverse workforce. Om also leveraged the 

Pathways Internship Program to hire college students for multiple positions and has integrated 

this program into our overall recruitment plan. These alternative hiring programs directly linked 

OM managers to a highly talented hiring pool and helped create a diverse workforce from all 

segments of society. 

The Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Diversity Management Advisory Council 

(DMAC) established a workgroup to monitor and assess the implementation of the WHAAPI 

Fiscal Year 2015 Plan. Utilizing the Schedule A Hiring Authority OIT hired on a new employee 

to support the DMAC.

The Office of Policy and Planning (OPP) hired a well-qualified diverse group of new employees 

in FY 2015 dedicated to helping VA ensure that Veterans and their beneficiaries receive the care, 

support, and recognition they have earned. OPP selected the new hires from a variety of sources, 

i.e. other VA organizations and government agencies, private sector, the military and Veteran 

community, and university and colleges. 

The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) is the parent organization of the 

Office of Administration, the Office of Resolution Management, the Office of Diversity and 

Inclusion, and the Office of Labor-Management Relations. 

The Office of Resolution Management (ORM) conducted numerous ADR training and awareness 

programs and maintained a constant complaint resolution rate of 53 percent from FY 2014 to FY 

2015. One strategy for maintaining this resolution rate was conducting Conflict Management 

and ADR Training to al VA employees and to VA’s labor partners. 

In June 2015, ORM awarded a contract to conduct Conflict Management and Mediation training. 

Over the course of twelve months, twenty-two 3-day training sessions will be delivered to 

promote skills and competency in managing conflict and resolving workplace disputes and EEO 

complaints. The sessions are designed to provide VA senior executives, supervisors, union 

officials, and employees with communication, negotiation, and problem solving capabilities to 

effectively address and prevent from escalating the day to day conflicts that arise in the 

workplace. In addition to the 3-day sessions, four 1-day sessions will be delivered with labor 

and management together in one setting. In FY2015, five 3-day sessions were completed and 

107 employees trained, and two 1-day sessions were completed with 88 labor and management 

officials trained 98% of the individuals attending the training rated it as highly effective. 

In addition to the Conflict Management and Mediation training, ORM trained 590 employees in 

ADR Awareness, Basic Mediation Skills, and Communication Skills. ORM provided quarterly 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 37

briefings to new employees and supervisors in VA Central Office on ADR and EEO. ORM 

trained VHA EEO Program Managers on the role of ORM, their responsibilities as EEO program 

managers, and settlement compliance monitoring. In FY 2015, ORM also conducted 296 hours 

of training for 393 individuals related to 33 findings of discrimination. 

ORM continues to provide tools and resources to senior executives, managers and supervisors, 

and employees on the EEO complaint and ADR process. In FY 2015, ORM re-issued several 

publications and educational materials, such as VA’s EEO poster and brochure. ORM updated 

this information to reflect coverage for allegations of discrimination based on sexual orientation 

under Title VII and the basis of sex. ORM also updated and re-issued a training DVD on the 

Root Causes of Workplace Disputes as well as its Executive Leaders Guide on EEO complaints 

and ADR. 

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has primary responsibility for initiatives related to 

workforce diversity and organizational inclusion. In FY 2015, ODI accomplished the following 

pursuant to Goal 1 of the VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan: 

• Completed a follow-up study with expanded data set correlating VA’s Diversity and 

Inclusion Indices with performance using VBA performance data. Results continue to 

suggest positive correlation between data points. 

• Championed the Secretary’s 3 percent hiring goal for individuals with targeted 

disabilities and the Secretary’s 2 percent onboard goal resulting in both goals being 

exceeded in FY 2015. 

Conducted six national outreach events in collaboration with our affinity group partners 

to build a diverse and inclusive workforce. 

• Spearheaded the creation of a new cabinet level Diversity in Government Council 

launched in May 2015.

• Assisted the Office of General Counsel (OGC) with the development of OGC’s first 

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic plan. 

• Developed a system component to produce MD 715 applicant flow data tables in 

collaboration with OPM’s USA Staffing team. 

• Administered the WRP and sponsored 19 interns. 

• In FY 2015, VA funded 135 interns through the NDIP.

• Launching VA’s Student Outreach and Retention (SOAR) Program initiative with 

Valencia College, an Hispanic-Serving Institution (HIS) in Orlando, FL. On August 25, 

2015, the new partnership was inaugurated with a MOU signing ceremony hosted by 

Valencia College President, Dr. Sanford C. Shugart. The SOAR initiative with Valencia 

and other Minority Serving Institutions around the country will focus on building a 

diverse, inclusive, and high performing VA workforce.

• Prepared and submitted the Department’s EEO report and plans to EEOC in accordance 

with Management Directive 715. 

• Produced and published the VA Diversity and Inclusion FY 2014 report documenting the 

accomplishments and outcomes of implementing the VA Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Plan. 

• Hosted MyCareer@VA training events at VA facilities, focusing on learning how to 

explore opportunities, find a right career path, and sharing the tool with others in their 

network. 
38 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Trained over 200 EEO Directors and HR Specialists on barrier analysis; trained over 25 

EEO and HR specialists on VSSC HR Applications and trigger analysis.

The Office of Labor Management Relations (LMR) has the responsibility to provide guidance and 

advice to Department managers and specialists seeking clarification of laws, government-wide 

regulations, case law and VA policy. In addition, LMR develops and facilitates labor relations 

training, negotiates national collective bargaining agreements, responds to national grievances, 

and appraises the effectiveness of VA labor-management relations programs throughout the 

Agency.

In FY 2015, LMR hired several Veterans from multiple appointing sources (i.e., other VA 

organizations). In order to retain a high-performing office, LMR offered flexible working 

schedules, telework and ad hoc opportunities to its employees in order to promote a positive 

work/life balance. LMR timely responded to all requests for accommodations, including 

reasonable accommodation requests as well as FMLA requests. Additionally, LMR supported

special contribution and performance awards for its employees. 

The Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) hired nine new employees in FY 

2015 which maintained an average FTE of 42. In building a high performance workforce, 89 

percent of OCLA’s new hires were Veterans and 33 percent were women. OCLA supported the 

internship program by providing college students the opportunity to observe and participate in 

work designed to advance legislation to better support Veterans. OCLA had three interns in FY 

2015. 

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) has a long standing tradition of dedicated recruiting 

efforts with local law schools. The benefits from said have been very advantageous and allowed 

us to increase the diversity of our workforce and attract upwardly mobile attorneys who are able 

to see themselves reflected in our senior leadership with regard to attributes such as professional 

experience, education, and a commitment to federal service. The Board has found great 

recruitment success through the Veterans Employment Service Office (VESO). Additionally, 

the Board’s Human Resource Liaison office is in its third year of regular attendance at the 

Wounded Warrior Regiment, M4Life and Job Fair at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, VA. 

The totality of these efforts promote the BVA’s efforts to institutionalize a culture which fully 

leverages and values our commitment to an inclusive and diverse workplace and also to utilize, 

effectively, the wide range of talent and skills that Veterans can provide to the workplace.

The Board also utilizes a very structures mentoring program for aspiring managers and new hires 

to ensure that have the opportunity and means to reach their maximum potential. The program 

recognizes and capitalizes upon the unique training the staff requires to excel at their work. This 

program is known as the ‘Leadership Initiative” whose activities focus on improving leadership 

skills through training, mentoring, and networking. Furthermore, the Board’s Office of 

Knowledge and Learning Management (OKLM) has an intense training and mentoring regiment 

for newly hired legal staff. Each newly hired attorney is assigned an experienced attorney as a 

mentor who assists with training and professional development. The individualized aspect of the 

Board’s mentoring program allows the Board to embrace and value the contributions of all 

employees and pursue an inclusive vision of getting staff from diverse backgrounds to join 

together in the pursuit of a common goal: exceptional service to Veterans and their families.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 39

The Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC) actively recruited and hired 

qualified candidates including disable Veterans through USAJOBS, VESO, and utilizing various 

appointments, including Veterans Employment Opportunity Appointments (VEOA), for open 

positions and entry-level employees through the Veteran Affairs Acquisition Academy (VAAA) 

Intern and Warrior to Workforce programs. These programs support OALC succession planning 

goals by developing employees through mentoring, on-the-job training, and formal coursework 

to increase their skills. OALC utilized the Pathways recruitment process and encouraged 

candidates from universities and colleges that have a diverse population to apply. Once hired, 

new employees received hands on experience from an experienced, talented, and seasoned 

acquisition workforce that transfers needed acumen to develop competent and motivated 

employees. Of the 86 new hires, OALC hired 63 employees into mission critical contract 

specialist and engineering/architectural positions.

The Office of Construction and facilities management (CFM) is working with NCOD to utilize 

data gathered from the FY 2015 AES and the FY 2015 FEVS to develop managerial strategies to 

enhance satisfaction and ultimately improve employee retention. The Office of Acquisition 

Operations (OAO) participated in an extensive independent review, A-123 Acquisition 

Assessment, which included the examination of Human Capital practices and challenges. The 

Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL) actively monitored and ensured full participation in 

meeting VA requirements for mandatory Equal Employment Opportunity training, masterfully 

recruited and hired qualified candidates, trainees, and interns utilizing a variety of appointing 

authorities such as the Merit Promotion and Delegating Examining Unit procedures, 30 percent 

or more disabled Veterans, VEOA, VRA, and Schedule A appointing authorities. 

The Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness abides by all federal laws and regulations 

and department-wide policies. To that end, the Assistant Secretary ensures our supervisors 

complete Supervisory Training, when it’s offered. They also complete Uniformed Services 

Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Training and EEO, Diversity and 

Conflict Management training. We recruit using VA for Vets, Pathways, Workforce 

Recruitment Program, and Merit Promotion. He office scored higher on the VA’s All Employee 

Survey in the category of High-Performing Workplace (4.09 on a 5.0 scale), which measures 

employee perceptions of workplace performance, civility, and psychological safety. 

Additionally, the Assistant Secretary participated in several Vietnam memorial celebrations 

throughout the year.
40 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Goal 2: “Cultivate a flexible, collaborative, and 

inclusive work environment that leverages 

diversity and empowers all contributors.”

Complementing the VA Diversity Index featured in Goal 1, we set out to develop an Inclusion 

Index that would focus on the enablers of diversity, such as individual empowerment and 

engagement. We defined inclusion as the extent to which organizations leverage its workforce 

diversity and empower all voices to be heard. VA’s National Center for Organization 

Development (NCOD) developed a Civility Index that measured civility in the workplace based 

on select items in VA’s All Employee Survey. Also, OPM had reported an Engagement Index 

based on responses to its Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). Both metrics relied on 

employee surveys as the most appropriate vehicle for identifying perceptions of inclusiveness, 

but neither metric measured organizational inclusion as defined by the emerging literature in this 

area. 

After several months of preliminary analysis and then determining the Federal Employee 

Viewpoint Survey should serve as basis for a government-wide Inclusion Index, ODI assembled 

a team of subject matter experts including ODI, OPM, and NCOD representatives. The team 

reviewed NCOD’s factor analysis of the 2011 FEVS results and examined the identified factors 

through the lens of inclusion related content. The team relied heavily on Shore’s analysis of 

inclusion-related research published in the Journal of Management in 2010 (Inclusion and 

Diversity in Work Groups; A Review and Model for Future Research), and Nishii’s research on 

The Benefits of Climate for Inclusion for Diverse Groups (unpublished paper, Cornell 

University, Ithaca, NY, 2010). The latter study identified three primary dimensions of inclusion: 

fairness of employment practices; integration of differences; and inclusion in decision-making. 

The team also identified additional dimensions of workplace inclusion referenced in the 

following publications: Measuring Diversity Practice and Developing Inclusion, by Kurt April 

and Eddie Blass; M. E Mor Barak and D. A. Cherin’s, A tool to expand organizational 

understanding of workforce diversity: Exploring a measure of inclusion-exclusion published by 

Administration in Social Work; Organizational and personal dimensions in diversity climate: 

Ethnic and gender differences in employee diversity perceptions, published by the Journal of 

Applied Behavioral Sciences; and the report from the 1998 Netter Seminar, The Netter 

Principles.

The 78 FEVS items were then mapped to five proposed dimensions of inclusion based on 

content validity. A second factor analysis was performed to identify the survey items that best 

reflected the proposed dimensions of inclusion. Items that cross-loaded on multiple factors were 

placed in a separate dimension that best reflected their inclusion-related content. Where items 

did not map to any one of the dimensions but appeared to reflect a defined dimension, the items 

were assigned to the appropriate dimension based on team consensus. Due to disparate scales 

associated with some of the questions, 11 FEVS items were excluded. This process ultimately 

yielded 20 survey items that corresponded to six final dimensions of inclusion: 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 41

Fairness of Employment Practices (Rules and Procedures) 

Fairness of Employment Practices (Performance Evaluation) 

Inclusion/participation in Decision-Making 

Inclusive Management and Leadership 

Information Access/Open Communication 

Integration of Differences 

These six dimensions and the associated 20 FEVS items serve as the basis for the Inclusion 

Index. The algorithm for the Inclusion Index is a simple mean percentage of favorable responses 

(agree or strongly agree on a five point Likert scale) by all respondents on the selected inclusion 

survey items, weighted as appropriate based on sampling data. The values of the responses were

adjusted depending on whether the item was worded positively or negatively. This method 

provides all Federal Government with a common benchmark for measuring perceptions of 

workplace inclusion. Figure 15 provides the new IQ Index trend for VA as published in OPM’s 

FY 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results Government wide Management Report.

Figure 15: New IQ Index Trends (FY 2010 - FY 2015)

 Source: FY 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results
42 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Virtually all the studies we 

examined used employee surveys 

as the instrument for measuring 

organizational inclusion. This 

approach permits a more 

expansive interpretation of 

diversity, to include the extent to 

which organizations value 

diversity of thought. As such, the 

Inclusion Index complements the 

narrower parameters of diversity 

used in the Diversity Index. 

Together, these Indices cover the 

range of diversity from its EEO 

foundation to the broader concept 

of full inclusion. 

ODI continues to examine ways 

to factor in other behavioral 

indicators of inclusion, such as 

attrition rates, per capital EEO complaints/workplace grievances, alternative dispute resolution 

usage, and others. However in the interim, this method provides Federal Government with a 

common benchmark for measuring perceptions of workplace inclusion. 

These indices represent a groundbreaking step toward simplifying the measurement of workforce 

diversity and workplace inclusion, and increasing awareness of these important concepts in the 

public sector. They are not intended to supplant existing metrics that disaggregate data; rather, 

they serve as efficient snapshots for leadership to quickly assess progress and lead change. VA 

is proud to be in the vanguard of promoting diversity and inclusion to drive greater performance 

in the public sector. 

The development of VA’s Diversity Index and Inclusion Index sets the stage for the third prong 

of the paradigm: organizational performance. ODI is in the early stage of conducting a 

correlation study with VA performance data. 

In FY 2013, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) used VA’s Inclusion Index framework 

as the basis in developing the Inclusion Quotient (IQ) Index with some minor differences. OPM 

reduced the six dimensions of inclusion down to five and re-categorized the cadre of questions to 

fit the new categories. OPM’s five dimensions are: 

Fair 

Open 

Cooperative 

Supportive 

Empowered 

Figure 16: VA’s IQ Component Score

vs. 

Government Average (FY 2015)

Source: FY 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 43

While this approach differs from VA, the IQ Index provides Federal average as well as the 

ability to do cross-agency comparison. Figure 16 provides VA’s FY 2014 IQ scores by 

component compared to the government average.

Workplace Flexibility 

A flexible work environment refers to how work gets done—when one works, where one works, 

and how one works. Examples of workplace flexibilities include telework and alternative work 

schedules. The progress of realizing a truly flexible work environment in the Federal 

Government had been incremental until FY 2010. 

The spirit of workplace flexibility began in the Federal Government with the passing of the 

Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act of 1982. This revolutionized 

the Federal workplace—employees, for the first time, have more control of their working hours 

than ever before. This act was the first definitive milestone for the quest for workplace 

flexibility in the Federal Government and paved the road for telework. 

The principle of telework has existed in the Federal Government for many years under different 

headings including “work at home,” “flexible work,” and “telecommuting.” The official 

inception of telework into the legislative framework occurred in 2000 with Public Law 106-346. 

This law ultimately planted the inevitable seed-of-change in the Federal workplace. 

The significant milestone for telework in the Federal Government occurred with the passing of 

the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (the Act). The Act specified roles, responsibilities and 

expectations for all Federal executive agencies with regard to telework policies, employee 

eligibility and participation, program implementation, and reporting. The Act further established 

baseline expectations for the Federal telework program and agencies. In VA, the Act motivated 

agency-wide reassessment of telework eligibility and improved data collection. 

FY 2015 marks the fourth year VA operated under the passing of the Act. Analysis of telework 

participation data reveals increased telework adoption rate throughout VA compared to last year. 

Referring to Figure 17 approximately seven percent of the VA workforce teleworked during FY 

2015. VBA experienced the largest increase in telework participation. NCA experienced a 

marginal decrease in telework participation.
44 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Figure 17: Telework Participation by Total Workforce (FY 2014 - FY 2015

 Source: FY 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results

Despite the increasing trend in telework participation, VA continues to trail the Federal 

Government average in telework participation. VA’s low telework participation is due to VA’s 

mission focus requiring a significant portion of the workforce to be physically present on a daily 

basis in order to support critical systems, processes, and services. This is especially true for 

VHA, with over 85 percent of its workforce ineligible for telework, shown in Figure 18.

Figure 18: Positions Suitable for Telework (FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Data Source: ProClarity data retrieved February 5, 2016. Exclude virtual employees. Include permanent and 

temporary employees in full-time, part-time and intermittent and pay status

Staff Offices VBA NCA VHA VA

FY 2014 31.91% 45.74% 76.41% 90.29% 85.32%

FY 2015 30.80% 39.30% 70.07% 88.01% 82.91%

FY 2014 15.88% 37.39% 4.83% 3.58% 6.12%

FY 2015 15.22% 30.67% 4.75% 3.10% 5.22%

FY 2014 1.55% 5.51% 0.06% 0.51% 0.85%

FY 2015 1.47% 5.40% 0.16% 0.49% 0.82%

Position not suitable for telew ork

Position suitable and employee eligible for telew ork 

Position suitable and employee ineligible for telew ork
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 45

During FY 2015 the number of 

employees in VBA, who 

telework 6 or more days per 

pay period, increased by more 

than six times the number 

reported in FY 2014. 

Flexibility: The Employee’s Perspective

Satisfaction drives employee engagement and ultimately leads to better performance and 

retention. Investing in the workforce and paying attention to employee viewpoints isn’t about 

happiness, it is about building a more effective organization and delivering better services to our 

Nation’s Veterans. To better understand workplace flexibility from the employee’s perspective, 

we examine selected questions from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). 

VA’s employees reported higher telework participation in FY 2015 (29,461). When asked to 

describe the employee’s current teleworking situation, over 10 percent of 29,461 respondents in 

FY 2015 indicated they participate in regular telework, up from 8.28 percent in FY 2014 (see 

Figure 20). A little over 10 percent of respondents indicated that they chose not to telework. 

The percent of respondents indicating that they cannot obtain their supervisor’s approval for 

telework even though the job is suitable decreased slightly from last year. The percent of 

employees who reported they were unable to telework because of technical issues decreased 

from 1.22 in FY 2-14 to 3.92 percent in FY 2015.

Figure 20: Results of Survey Item 73 (FY 2011 - FY 2015) 

Figure 19: Telework Participation of Eligible Positions 

(FY 2014 - FY 2015)

(Regularly Teleworks 3 to 5 days a Pay Period)

Source: FY 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results
46 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

Source: Federal Employees Viewpoint Survey Results June 12, 2015

For a fourth year in a row, VA employees reported greater satisfaction with telework. When 

asked “How satisfied are you with telework?” almost 72 percent responded favorably (sum of 

very satisfied and satisfied), up from 66.27 percent in FY 2014 (see Figure 21).

Figure 21: Results of Survey Item 73 (FY 2011 - FY 2015)

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

I telew ork very infrequently, on an unscheduled or shortterm basis. 3.30% 3.30% 3.20% 3.33% 3.51%

I do not telew ork because I have to be physically present on 

the job (e.g., Law Enforcement Officers, Park Rangers, 

Security Personnel). 45.80% 47.10% 46.47% 44.24% 43.38%

I do not telew ork because I have technical issues (e.g., 

connectivity, inadequate equipment) that prevent me from 

telew orking. 5.80% 4.80% 4.50% 1.22% 3.92%

I do not telework because I did not receive approval 

to do so, even though I have the kind of job where I 

can telew ork.

30.60% 28.90% 28.90% 29.11% 28.14%

I do not telew ork because I choose not to telew ork. 9.40% 9.40% 9.60% 10.82% 10.63%

Telew ork on a regular basis 5.10% 6.60% 7.10% 8.28% 10.42%

 I telew ork 3 or more days per w eek. 2.40% 3.00% 3.10% 4.08% 5.45%

 I telew ork 1 or 2 days per w eek. 1.70% 2.40% 2.80% 3.05% 3.67%

 I telew ork, but no more than 1 or 2 days per month. 1.00% 1.20% 1.20% 1.15% 1.30%

Survey Item 73: Please select the response below that BEST describes your current telew ork situation:
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 47

Another measure of workplace flexibility is the availability and the opportunity to use 

Alternative Work Schedules (AWS). Employees are more satisfied with AWS compared to 

telework. Nearly 80 percent answered favorably when asked about AWS satisfaction shown in 

Figure 22. Employees’ satisfaction with the AWS program remained relatively the same since 

last year.

Figure 22: Satisfaction with Alternative Work Schedules (FY 2011 - FY 2015)

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

Employee Engagement 

Increasingly, organizations are leveraging the emergent concept of employee engagement to 

measure the degree to which employees feel passionate about their jobs and their commitment to 

their organizations. An “engaged” VA employee is passionate, energetic, and dedicated to their 

job and organization, which leads to optimum organizational performance in serving our 

Nation’s Veterans. 

Employee engagement is typically measured using an employee engagement survey. The 

Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) includes 15 items that measure the conditions 

likely to lead to employee engagement. OPM derived from these items the Employee 

Engagement Index, an overarching model comprised of three subfactors: 

• Leaders Lead: Reflects the employees’ perceptions of the integrity of leadership, as well 

as leadership behaviors such as communication and workforce motivation. 
48 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Supervisors: Reflects the interpersonal relationship between worker and supervisor, 

including trust, respect, and support. Intrinsic Work Experiences: Reflects the 

employees’ feelings of motivation and competency relating to their role in the workplace. 

The Federal Government Employee Engagement Index score decreased 3 percentage points 

since FY 2011. VA’s score remains consistently below the government trend (see Figure 23).

Figure 23: Employee Engagement Index (FY 2011 - FY 2015)

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

When disaggregating the Engagement Index into its subfactors, we find VA’s subcomponent 

scores remain largely at or below the Federal average, refer to Figure 24.

Figure 24: Employee Engagement Index Subfactors ( FY 2011 - FY 2015)

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Leaders Lead Federal Government 56% 54% 53% 50% 51%

VA 54% 50% 51% 47% 47%

Supervisors Federal Government 72% 71% 70% 71% 71%

VA 67% 65% 67% 66% 67%

Intrinsic Work 

Experiences

Federal Government 72% 71% 69% 68% 69%

VA 73% 70% 71% 69% 69%

 Source: FY 2015 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Results
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 49

Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework 

Having a diverse workforce is not enough to ensure optimum individual and organizational 

performance. For that reason, the first goal of VA’s Strategic Plan for Diversity and Inclusion 

aims for a “diverse, results-oriented, high-performing workforce,” the key to which—as 

identified in the Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework (HCAAF)—is a 

performance management system that differentiates between high and low levels of performance 

and links individual/team/unit performance to organizational goals and desired results 

effectively. 

The HCAAF provides a comprehensive representation of human capital management in the 

Federal Government consisting of five human capital systems: Strategic Alignment, Leadership 

and Knowledge Management, Results-Oriented Performance Culture, Talent Management, and 

Accountability. The HCAAF is comprised of four indices derived from 39 items from the 

Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey: 

• Leadership and Knowledge Management 

• Results-Oriented Performance Culture 

• Talent Management 

• Job Satisfaction 

Since FY 2011, VA’s scores in all four HCAAF indices remained largely the same with marginal 

increases in FY 2015. The detail trend scores by HCAAF factor for VA is provided in Figure 25.

Figure 25: HCAAF Factors (FY 2011 - FY 2014)

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Leadership and Knowledge Management 59% 56% 57% 54% 55%

Results-Oriented Performance Culture 52% 49% 49% 48% 49%

Talent Management 60% 57% 58% 56% 56%

Job Satisfaction 68% 64% 65% 63% 64%

 Data Source: http://www.fedview.opm.gov/2015/Ranking/, data pulled February 9, 2015

As described in the HCAAF, a results-oriented performance culture system consists of the 

following critical success factors that work together to create a diverse, results-oriented, high 

performance workforce. Diversity Management makes up one of the factors. 

• Communication: The agency has a process for sharing information and ideas about the 

organization with all employees. This vital process includes eliciting employee feedback 

and involvement so that all employees play an appropriate role in planning and executing 

the mission. 
50 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Performance Appraisal: The agency has a process under which performance is reviewed 

and evaluated. 

• Awards: The organization takes actions to recognize and reward individual or team 

achievement that contributes to meeting organizational goals or improving the efficiency, 

effectiveness, and economy of the Government. Such awards include, but are not limited 

to: employee incentives which are based on predetermined criteria, rating-based awards, 

or awards based on a special act or service. 

• Pay for Performance: The agency uses pay-for-performance systems, where authorized 

by law and regulation, to link salary levels and adjustments to an individual’s overall 

performance and contribution to the agency’s mission. Employees receive base salary 

adjustments within their assigned bands. 

• Diversity Management: The agency maintains an environment characterized by 

inclusiveness of individual differences and responsiveness to the needs of diverse groups 

of employees. 

• Labor/Management Relations: The organization promotes cooperation among employees, 

unions, and managers. This cooperation enhances effectiveness and efficiency, cuts 

down the number of employee-related disputes, and improves working conditions, all of 

which contribute to improved performance and results. 

The Results-Oriented Performance Culture Index is made up of 13 survey items from the Federal 

Employee Viewpoint Survey and encompasses diversity related measures. The resulting index 

score is the average of favorable responses from the selected items. Since 2011, the scores for 

VA have remained relatively consistent with the Federal average as shown in Figure 26.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 51

Figure 26: Results-Oriented Performance Culture Index

(Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey)

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities 

Individuals with disabilities represent an important aspect of VA’s workforce. Aside from the 

legal imperative, providing reasonable accommodations (RA) for applicants and employees with 

disabilities is an essential strategy to promoting full inclusion in the 21st century VA. 

Accommodations may be needed for an individual to (1) apply for a job; (2) perform the 

essential functions of a job; and (3) enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment. 

There is a number of possible RA that an employer may have to provide in connection with 

modifications to the work environment or adjustments in how and when a job is performed. 

These include but are not limited to: 

making existing facilities accessible; 

job restructuring; 

part-time or modified work schedules; 

acquiring or modifying equipment; 

changing tests, training materials, or policies; 

providing qualified readers or interpreters; and 

non-competitive reassignment to a vacant position. 
52 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

The Human Capital Investment Plan established a centralized fund to reimburse offices and 

facilities for the cost of providing accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. 

This strategy not only reduces the budgetary burden of first line supervisors and managers but 

also complements the existing resources provided by the Department of Defense’s Computer/ 

Electronic Accommodation Program. Since its creation in April, 2010, the centralized fund has 

funded over 2,500 accommodations ranging from sign-language interpreter services to mobility 

scooters, among others. In FY 2015, VA provided 238 centrally funded RA (see Figure 27).

Figure 27: Number of Centrally Funded RA (FY 2010 - 2015)

Similarly, the amount dispersed from the RA fund also increased. Shown in Figure 28, 

approximately $274,133 was reimbursed from the centralized fund in FY 2015. Since its 

inception, the centralized fund has funded more than $1.5 million. The average cost per RA has 

increased to over $1,000 in FY 2015.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 53

Figure 28: Reasonable Accommodations Reimbursements
54 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

EEO Complaints 

Another measure of organizational inclusion focuses on EEO complaint activity. From FY 2010 

through FY 2015, the number of EEO formal complaints ranged from a high of 2,397 to a low of 

2,047, with an average of 2,245 informal complaints per year. From FY 2013 to FY 2015, the 

per capita filing rate at the informal stage increased from 1.26 to 1.43 percent (slightly higher 

than the government wide average of 1.10 percent ); and the formal filing rate increased to 0.66 

percent (still higher than the government wide average of 0.51 percent).

Figure 29: Complaint Activity Trend

The most frequently cited bases in EEO complains in FY 2015 are reprisal, race, disability, and 

sex in order of frequency (see Figure 30).
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 55

Figure 30: EEO Complaints by Bas is (5 year Trend)

From FY 2011 to FY 2015, the top three specified issues cited in EEO complaints were nonsexual harassment, promotion/non-selection, and disciplinary action in that order.
56 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Figure 31: EEO Complaint by Issue Trend

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Harassment (Non-Sexual) 1,019 1,111 984 1078 1312

Promotion/Non-Selection 393 423 343 385 390

Disciplinary Action 350 410 305 346 414

Other 311 317 237 277 301

Reasonable Accommodation 172 170 186 240 307

Evaluation Appraisal 171 182 161 150 223

Time and Attendance 153 170 153 194 272

Termination 225 174 130 161 179

Assignment of Duties 131 128 101 132 237

Pay (Including Overtime) 97 75 100 128 135

Reassignment 77 80 77 82 101

Harassment (Sexual) 82 64 74 85 97

Appointment/Hire 108 115 66 63 78

Training 69 72 49 60 85

Duty Hours 30 53 49 50 94

Terms/Condition of 

Employment 44 8 33 41 47

Retirement 31 24 22 26 35

Awards 18 20 18 21 13

Medical Examination 6 9 7 7 8

Conversion to Full-time 1 1 0 3 1

Examination/Test 0 1 0 1 2

Reinstatement 1 0 0 1 0

 Data Source: Office of Resolution Management

Alternative Dispute Resolution 

The use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to address workplace disputes has risen 

dramatically in VA over the last several years. In FY 2015, the percentage of EEO informal 

complaints electing was 59 percent; 4 percent higher than FY 2015 and higher than VA’s target 

of 53 percent and 8 percent higher than the government-wide average of 51 percent. ORM’s 

ADR Program has had an extremely positive impact on the efficiency of VA’s EEO Program 

nation-wide. VA reached an important milestone in this area in FY 2011 when Department-wide 

policy was established to offer ADR in every EEO complaint. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 57

Figure 32: ADR in the EEO Process

 Data Source: Office of Resolution Management

The ADR offer rate represents the percentage of informal EEO complaints in which VA offers 

the aggrieved person an opportunity to participate in ADR versus traditional counseling. The 

ADR election rate represents the percentage of informal EEO complaints in which both VA and 

the aggrieved person agree to participate in ADR.

As shown in Figure 33, ADR is used for both EEO and non-EEO disputes with very positive 

results.

Figure33: ADR Outcomes

Data Source: Office of Resolution Management

Promotions 

An inclusive environment offers equal upward mobility opportunities to all qualified employees. 

Comparing the demographic characteristics of the overall workforce with the demographic 

characteristics of employees who were promoted highlights some areas of concern. The analysis 

presented here utilizes a moving average of onboard representation calculation. This metric is 

the average of the beginning onboard count and ending count of the fiscal year. This widely 

recognized standard in human capital planning reduces the skewing effects of data from one 

point in time. This technique, however, has limitations particularly for groups with low 

representation on board and in the RCLF, such as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. 

Analysis of promotion data presents additional challenges for VA, as medical occupations often 

have an education requirement. Therefore, the ratio of promotions for Title 38 medical 

occupations, compared to on board ratios is significantly smaller than in the GS/GM pay plan. 

This caveat necessitates the separate evaluation of promotion by GS/GM, Title 38, and Wage and 

Canteen pay plans.

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 F 2015

Contacts 4,329 4,479 4,221 4,626 5,052

Offers[1] 98% 99% 98% 98% 99%

Participation[2] 54% 58% 58% 55% 59%

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015

Completed 2,229 2,495 2,440 2,508 2,966 1,561 1,763 1,858 1,727 1,530

Resolved 45% 41% 50% 49% 52% 87% 88% 88% 85% 83%

EEO Non EEO
58 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

The GS/GM pay plan makes up the largest proportion of the VA FY 2015 workforce, at about 63 

percent. At the same time, 80 percent of VA promotions were in the GS/GM occupations. 

When compared to the GS/GM average promotion rate of 13.32 percent, White AND Hispanic 

women, and Asian men and women have less than expected promotions (see Figure 34).

Figure 34: GS/GM Promotions (FY 2015)

Title 38 positions make up about 28 percent of VA’s workforce. Among all promotions of VA 

employees in FY 2015, about 11 percent occurred in the Title 38 occupations. The promotion 

trend for this pay plan highlights lower than expected promotion rates for White men, Black 

men, Hispanic men, Asian men and women, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander men, and 

American Indian/Alaska Native men when compared with the Title 38 average promotion rate of 

4.21 percent, as shown in Figure 35.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 59

Figure 35: Title 38 Promotion (FY 2015)
60 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

The Wage and Canteen pay plans make up about 9 percent of the VA workforce and about 9 

percent of the total promotions occurred in the Wage and Canteen pay plans. Lower than 

expected promotion rates are apparent for Black men and women, Hispanic men, Asian men and 

women, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Native Alaska men, and 

individuals with targeted disabilities, compared with the Wage and Canteen average promotion 

rate of 9.54 percent, (see Figure 36).

Figure 36: Wage and Canteen Promotions (FY 2015)

Separations 

An indicator of inclusion involves the analysis of the demographic characteristics of employees 

who leave VA, voluntarily or involuntarily. Similar to the promotion dimension, we calculate 

the separation rates by dividing the total separations of each demographic by the average 

onboard count at the beginning and at the end of the fiscal year. 

Voluntary separations include employees leaving VA for another agency, retirement, death, or 

private sector jobs. In FY 2015, White men, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander men, American 

Indian/Alaska Native men, Two or More Races men and women, and individuals with targeted 

disabilities left VA at rates higher than the average voluntary separation rate of 9.17 percent (see 

Figure 37).
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 61

Figure 37: Voluntary Separations (FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Additional insights can be derived from examining involuntary separation data. Involuntary 

separations are agency driven actions to remove an employee from the workforce. In FY 2015, 

the average involuntary separation rate was 1.31 percent. Black men, Two or More Races men 

and women, individuals with targeted disabilities, and Disabled Veterans experienced higher 

than average involuntary separations as illustrated in Figure 38.
62 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Figure 38: Involuntary Separations (FY 2015)

(Permanent and Temporary)

Elimination of Barriers: MyCareer@VA Program

Inclusive organizations routinely review policies, procedures, and processes to identify and 

remove visible and invisible barriers to full participation. In FY 2015, VA Learning University 

(VALU) and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) partnered to facilitate MyCareer@VA 

Day events VA Records Management Center (St. Louis), Chicago Regional Benefit Office, 

North Florida/South Georgia Healthcare System (Gainesville, FL), and the John D. Dingell VA 

Medical Center (Detroit). The MyCareer@VA Day events were in-person career development 

workshops designed to improve VA employees’ understanding of career development principles 

and resources in order to improve their engagement and career mobility. These events were 

designed to support President Obama’s goal of engaging a higher performing diverse Federal 

workforce by creating programs aimed to address career progression barriers and bottle necks 

experienced by individuals of diverse groups and IWTD in WG positions and at GS grades 9 and 

below.

The MyCareer@VA Day workshops consisted of the following events: 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 63

• Information Booth - During the first half of the day, a MyCareer@VA team member was 

available to answer questions regarding the MyCareer@VA Day, the MyCareer@VA 

program, and career development, and to encourage attendance in the computer lab and at 

the presentations. 

• Computer Lab. Throughout the day, a MyCareer@VA team member was available to 

assist with navigation of the tools and resources, answer questions regarding 

MyCareer@VA and career development, and provide one-on-one support as employees 

created Career Hub accounts and familiarized themselves with the Web site. 

• Introduction to MyCareer@VA for Employees - This 60-minute session introduced the 

tools and resources of MyCareer@VA and how to leverage MyCareer@VA to support 

career development. Specifically, the session identified ways MyCareer@VA can support 

employees as they develop and pursue a career at VA; highlighted what career 

development is and the importance of engaging in career development; and explored how 

MyCareer@VA’s hands-on tools and resources can help uncover career possibilities at 

VA. 

• MyCareer@VA for Supervisors and Mentors -This 60-minute session introduced how to 

navigate the tools and resources of MyCareer@VA and how to leverage MyCareer@VA 

to support employees’ career development from a supervisory or mentor capacity, as well 

as their own personal career development. This session provided an introduction to how 

MyCareer@VA’s innovative tools support career development and can help supervisors 

and mentors empower their employees to take charge of their professional future. 

• MyCareer@VA Career Development Activities Workbook - The workbook serves as a 

non-virtual complement to the MyCareer@VA Web site. The workbook provides 

detailed and guided instruction on the career development process better tailored to target 

the audience’s needs, and included an introduction to career development and why it is 

important for VA employees. 

The 2015 MyCareer@VA Day events directly informed 386 VA employees about the 

MyCareer@VA program through the employees' participation in at least one of the 

MyCareer@VA Day activities. Additionally, 8,149 VA employees across all four facilities 

indirectly learned about MyCareer@VA as a result of information on MyCareer@VA distributed 

through the facility-wide marketing and communications.
64 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

FY 2015 Organizational Accomplishments 

Office of the Secretary 

The Office of the Secretary (OSVA) is the parent office of the Center for Minority Veterans, the 

Center for Women Veterans, and Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication. 

The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) conducted targeted outreach throughout the year to 

minority stakeholder organizations. These activities provided minority Veterans and their family 

members information about VA benefits, services, and employment opportunities. During FY 

2015, CMV staff members conducted the following targeted outreach activities:

• Participated in 91 stakeholder meetings.

• Established 27 new collaborative partnerships.

• Served on 11 VA Central Office (VACO) workgroups

• Conducted 23 targeted outreach events outside the Washington area through 

collaboration with Minority Veterans Program Coordinators (MVPCs), resulting in local 

communities.

• Conducted 9 virtual town hall meetings with minority Veterans.

CMV utilized the Minority Veterans Program Coordinators (MVPCs) in the three VA 

Administrations (VHA, VBA, NCA) to increase local awareness of minority Veteran related 

issues and to develop strategies for increasing their participation in existing VA benefits 

programs for eligible Veterans. There are approximately 276 MVPCs VA wide located in each 

VA medical center, regional office, and national cemetery. During FY 2015, the MVPCs 

conducted more than 11,075 outreach activities, which contacted approximately 852,322 

individuals, of which 43 percent were minority stakeholders.

The CMV provided administrative support to the Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans 

(ACMV). The ACMV was established by the Secretary under Public Law 103-446-Sec 510, § 

544. Since its creation in 1994, the ACMV has advised the Department of current and future 

needs of minority Veterans through its interactive role during its site visits by conducting town 

hall meetings to obtain and address the concerns of minority Veterans. During 2015, the ACMV 

conducted two meetings which included a meeting at VA Central Office, and a site visit to 

Seattle Washington. The Seattle site visit included tours of three VA local facilities, and a 

Veterans’ town hall meeting. Subsequent to the meeting, the ACMV submitted its annual report 

to the Department which included recommendations to enhance the provision of benefits and 

services to minority Veterans.

The Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication (OEDCA) work/life balance 

for staff attorneys has improved since promoting the increase of telework opportunities to 

promote and support flexible work schedules. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 65

Office of Inspector General (OIG) strives to provide a flexible, inclusive work environment 

where employees can comfortably communicate thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and concerns. 

Several different programs continue to help foster OIG’s atmosphere of constructive 

communication. OIG Advisory Council helps to identify and bring to light employee issues and 

concerns, as well as recommendations for improvement. This program allows each employee to 

have their voice heard by senior management via an advisory council member. The Advisory 

Council has taken on many issues that have resulted in higher efficiency and improved morale. 

The second program OIG uses to promote communication is the Ombudsman Program. This 

program offers employees an informal option to resolve concerns and issues through a neutral, 

confidential representative. The third program OIG uses to promote employee involvement is 

the Employee Suggestion Program. This program gives employees the opportunity to submit a 

specific, original idea or new application of an old idea that will contribute to the efficiency, 

productivity, effectiveness, or economy of OIG policies, programs, or missions. 

The Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) conducted several public 

educational and training events to increase the economic well-being of our nation’s Veterans by 

providing them access to procurement decision makers.

VA Diversity Council 

The VA Diversity Council (VADC) was updated on the activities of the Emerging Issues in 

Diversity and Inclusion Committee, National Center for Organization Development (NCOD) 

analysis of the FY 2014 All Employee Survey (AES) scores. The AES helps management and 

the rank-and-file to better understand workforce perceptions of organizational strengths and 

opportunities for improvement (e.g. workforce satisfaction and organizational climate), as well 

as inform (on) effective and data-driven action planning. The AES is administered annually by 

the VHA National Center for Organization Development (NCOD).

Administrations 

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) ODI continues to monitor and measure its 

accomplishments towards its goals outlined in the VHA National Leadership Board Workforce 

Committee, and the VHA D&I Subcommittee (VHA D & I SC) Strategic Plan (FY 2014 – FY 

2019), which is aligned with VA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (FY 2014 – FY 2020).

The VHA D & I SC had a face-to-face meeting in FY 2015 where strategies were developed and 

approved by the National Leadership Council. Strategies included creating a (Respect, 

Education, Awareness, Collaboration, and Honesty (REACH) Video. Three definitive strategies 

were: 1. Disseminate a draft inclusion definition; 2. Create an Inclusion questionnaire for the 

VHA ODI committee members; and 3. Development of inclusion training and implementation 

of a multi-faceted cultural competence excellence program with a recognition component.

The Office of Health Equity (OHE) supported the Office of Research and Development effort to 

increase the representation of scientists of historically underrepresented protected groups 

participating in VA research. 

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) applicant pool for the VBA leadership development 

programs increased in FY 2015. The VBA leadership development program applicant pool 
66 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

experienced and increase for all historically underrepresented groups. VBA cultivates leaders in 

the workplace and fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment through its training and 

educational programs as demonstrated below.

• Supervisory Management Training had a total of 289 candidates, comprised of 39 Black 

males, 41 Black women, 7 Hispanic men, 8 Hispanic women, 5 Asian men, 6 Asian 

women, 71 White men, and 112 White women. 

• Advanced Management Training had a total of 17 candidates that included 2 Black men, 

4 Black women, 1 Asian male, 4 White men, and 5 White women. 

• The Leadership Enhancement and Development Program had a total of 35 candidates that 

included three Black men, three Black women, one Hispanic male, one Hispanic female, 

two Asian men, four Asian women, 12 White men, and 14 White women. 

• The Leadership Enrichment Program had a total of 35 candidates that included 5 Black 

men, 1 Black female, 2 Hispanic men, one Asian female, 11 White men, and 15 White 

women. 

• The Assistant Director Development Program had a total of 8 candidates that included 3 

Black men, 1 Hispanic female, 2 White men, and 2 White women. 

• The Executive Leadership Coaching Program had a total of 21 candidates that included 

three Black men, 4 Black females, 9 White men, and 5 White women.

• The Leadership Coaching Program had a total of 21 candidates that included three Black 

men, four Black women, 9 White men, and 5 White women. 

• The Emerging Leaders Program (Central Area) had a total of 15 candidates that included 

2 Hispanic men, 4 Black women, 2 White men, and 7 White women. 

In FY 2015, VBA’s ADR participation rate was 55 percent, a decrease from 59 percent in FY 

2014, and the resolution rate for informal EEO complaints was 51 percent, a decrease from 53.2 

percent in FY 2014, and still exceeding the corresponding metric goals. Several ROs far 

exceeded VBA’s overall measures: the St Paul RO had a participation rate of 80 percent and 

resolution rate of 75 percent while the Houston RO had a participation rate of 83 percent and a 

resolution rate of 60 percent. VBA’s total cost avoidance though the use of ADR was 

approximately $450 thousand in FY 2015. The St Louis RO had the highest cost avoidance of 

approximately $180 thousand in FY 2015.

In FY 2015, VBA Local Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators (LRACs) manually recorded 

compliance with timelines for each RA request because the capability had not been fully 

automated into VA’s Reasonable Accommodation Tracking System. Based on the manual 

tracking, VBA LRACs processed 91 percent of the requests in accordance with established 

timeframes. VBA has a LRAC at each RO and Central Office to provide guidance and process 

reasonable accommodation requests. In addition, VBA has its own RA Coordinator who has 

oversight for VBA’s RA Program and LRACs. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 67

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) continued to coordinate and provide various 

training to both management and employees. Training included topics e.g., Post-Traumatic 

Stress Disorder, Reasonable Accommodations to include webcast of Talking with Lawyers, 

Civility, Respect, and Professionalism in the Workplace, Team building exercise, 

Communications and Building Trust. Managers and supervisors continue to support the 

Reasonable Accommodation Program. During this FY, NCA provided over 45 requests for 

accommodations.

Assistant Secretaries 

The Office of Information and Technology (OIT) response rate to VA’s All Employee Survey 

increased significantly in FY 2015. OIT’s response rate was 53.4 percent (4,325 respondents) in 

FY 2015 versus 32.3 percent (2,754 respondents) in FY 2014. The DMAC identified the lack of 

clarity on the Employee Exit Survey. There now has been a lot of attention on the matter and the 

policy is under revision: VA Directive 5004 – Employee Entrance and Exit Survey.

The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) is the parent office of the Office of 

Administration, the Office of Resolution Management (ORM), the Office of Diversity and 

Inclusion, and the Office of Labor Management Relations. In FY 2015, HRA establish the AntiHarassment Office within ORM to proactively address allegations of harassment and hostile 

work environment before they become formal EEO complaints. HRA established new 

procedures to increase management accountability when findings of discrimination are issued. 

The Office of Administration (OA) strives to handle any workplace barriers in the most 

expeditious manner in order improve the collaboration amongst peers. LMR leadership 

encourages participation in all diversity events in the VA, including Asian Pacific American 

Heritage Month, Black History Month, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, Disability 

Employment Awareness Month, Disability Employment Mentoring Day, Hispanic History 

Month, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week, National American Indian Heritage 

Month, Women’s Equality Day and Women’s History Month.

Additionally, LMR leadership encourages additional training outside the annual training 

requirements, as training and personal development leads to a more effective and efficient 

workforce. Finally, LMR analyzes and addresses the results of the All Employee Survey 

completed each year, ensuring corrective actions are in place.

The Office of Resolution Management (ORM) achieved the following in FY 2015: 

• Stood up an Anti-Harassment Office in December 2014 and issued draft policy and 

procedures to proactively address workplace harassment. 

• Revised its settlement agreement templates to better account for the Defense Finance and 

Accounting Service’s (DFAS) role in certain actions such as back pay and restoration of 

leave and secured OGC’s agreement to conduct legal sufficiency reviews of all 

settlements involving EEO complaints prior to execution of the agreement. 

• ADR Participation Rate: This is the rate at which both parties in a dispute accept ADR in 

order to resolve it. In FY 2015, VA’s participation rate increased to 59 percent, up from 

55 percent. The national target rate was 53 percent. 
68 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Informal Resolution Rate: This is the percentage of EEO complaints that are resolved 

during the pre-complaint stage, before the complaint is formally filed. In FY 2015, VA’s 

resolution rate remained at 53 percent. The annual target rate is 50 percent. 

• In collaboration with ODI, developed training programs for senior leaders that focus on 

both EEO responsibilities in the areas of retaliation, harassment, and reasonable 

accommodation as well as proactive conflict management skills.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has primary responsibility for initiatives related to 

workforce diversity and organizational inclusion. In FY 2015, ODI accomplished the following 

to promote inclusion in the VA workforce: 

• Developed and validated a Diversity and Inclusion Competency Model.

• Entered into a MOU with Federally Employed Women (FEW) with the object to improve 

the outreach initiative for women in management and other senior level positions through 

substantive training.

• Held quarterly internal stakeholders meetings and HR&A held bi-monthly Human 

Capital Management Board meetings review and assess human resources policies 

impacting EEO, and D&I.

• Established advisory and consulting capabilities with internal VACO customers and 

external VACO customers for facilitation and training opportunities to enhance 

organizational effectiveness and employee engagement imperatives.

• Developed the background, overview, scope, and design details for the development of a 

new Web-based course on implicit bias and implicit association. Production task is 

contingent on funding availability for VALU’s contracting process.

• Administered six technical assistance reviews of VA facilities to ensure compliance with 

mandated EEO, diversity and inclusion requirements.

• Administered training evaluation program. Completed analysis of Kirkpatrick Level 1 

evaluation survey responses during two quarters. Validated and implemented in Q3 the 

Kirkpatrick Level 3 assessment tool on TMS course DVA-017 (mandatory EEO, D&I, 

Reasonable Accommodation, and Conflict Resolution Training).

• Administered the Centrally Managed Reasonable Accommodations (RA) Management 

Program Fund, which funded over 400 accommodations for individuals with disabilities. 

• Conducted training events for managers and supervisors on the reasonable 

accommodation process. 

• Managed the reasonable accommodations tracking system VA-wide for increased quality 

assurance and compliant processing. 

• ODI developed and submitted federally mandated EEO and workforce diversity reports 

to regulatory agencies. 

• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Office of Diversity and Inclusion served as advisor to 

VA’s leadership development boards to ensure D&I goals and objectives are embedded 

appropriately in outreach and selection processes. 

The Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) experienced a 28.6 percent turnover 

rate in FY 2015 but was able to maintain a relatively stable workforce, build on proficiency and 

increase its overall productivity. During FY 2015, OCLA supported 79 hearings and an average 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 69

of 50 ongoing GAO analysis, conducted 782 congressional briefings, coordinated the 

Department’s response to 33 GAO draft reports and 35 GAO final reports, and responded to 

2,984 requests for information. OCLA also provided technical assistance to 348 pieces of 

pending legislation. Additionally, OCLA handled over 27,853 constituent inquiries from 

congressional offices. 

OCLA continued to emphasize its “I CARE” Awards Program to recognize those employees 

whose service to our Nation’s Veterans exemplify VA’s core values. “I CARE” Awards were 

presented to OCLA employees on a quarterly basis, and in FY 2015, OCLA bestowed 8 “I 

CARE” Awards. OCLA maintains a prominent position in its front office area to highlight 

award winners.

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) has one of the Department’s most formalized and 

effective Flexiplace programs. This program serves as a valuable recruitment and retention tool 

and enables the Board to retain attorneys who have rather arduous commutes. The Board’s 

Flexiplace Plan complements President Obama’s Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.

The Board also utilizes several informal, but very effective, techniques which reward and 

recognize the contributions of staff members. Shadowing opportunities and developmental 

details are made available for several high level positions to include the Executive Assistant 

position in the Vice Chairman’s Office to fully leverage the diverse makeup of our workforce 

and promote professional development. Travel Board assignments are based, to some degree, on 

exceptional and sustained performance. A multitude of communication venues are utilized to 

facilitate sharing of knowledge; review and discuss current events; and provide a forum for 

recognition of diverse achievements and use of staff feedback. 

Lastly, the Board continues to conduct strategic workforce planning to ensure that our workforce 

is mission ready and prepared for the future. Various staff components work in unison to gather 

and review comprehensive and inclusive information on projected hiring needs based upon 

workload and potential retirements; achievement of a diverse workforce; and risk areas for 

mission critical occupations and senior positions. This allows for a 360 degree approach to 

workforce and succession planning which builds a talented, diverse, and results-oriented Board. 

The Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC) worked diligently to identify 

issues that may become barriers to collaborative work environments. OALC strongly believes 

that a diverse workforce in an inclusive environment will improve individual and organizational 

performance and result in better value to customers/clients and other stakeholders. OALC 

encouraged staff participation and provided the opportunity to attend special observances and 

diversity events, such as African-American, Asian-Pacific American, and Lesbian Gay Bisexual 

Transgender (LGBT) programs. Much attention was given to meet Departmental targets, and 

OALC participates each year in the All Employee Survey. Senior management uses the results 

to promote work/life balance and diversity activities. 

Steps were taken to ensure that personnel were prepared for higher levels of organizational 

responsibility in support of succession planning. During senior leadership absences, subordinate 

personnel were given the opportunity to serve in an Acting capacity, on a detail, or be 
70 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

noncompetitively temporarily promoted to the role of their supervisors up to and including 

Senior Executive Service (SES) positions. 

OALC promoted work/life flexibilities and a robust Telework program for all eligible 

employees. The telework program supported OAO’s commitment to maximizing a diverse 

group of applicants to compete for employment opportunities within VA in a flexible and 

inclusive environment. OALC also committed to active participation in the Civility, Respect, 

and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) under the VA-wide culture change initiative with the 

national Center for Organization Development (NCOD) in response to employee feedback to 

establish a culture of respect and civility in the organization. During budgetary constraints on 

awards, OALC fostered non-monetary recognition awards such as certificates of appreciation 

and commendation letter to recognize employee contributions and support for VA values. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 71

Goal 3: “Facilitate outstanding, culturally 

competent public service and stakeholder 

relations through effective leadership and 

accountability.”

Underpinning the business case for diversity and inclusion is the correlated improvements in 

organizational performance to deliver greater public service and customer satisfaction. Diverse 

teams are more creative, perform better at problem solving, and result in better decision-making 

than homogeneous teams. Racial diversity yields higher performance when diverse perspectives 

are leveraged as resources for product development. Similarly, gender diversity results in more 

effective group processes in people-oriented performance environments. Including people with 

disabilities, who may have a different viewpoint, improves the creativity and problem-solving 

efforts of a team. Diversity is especially important to VA because a diverse workforce helps us 

understand and serve the diverse populations of Veterans who we serve. 

Public Service and Citizen Feedback 

VA provides a unique service to the public, and in order to measure our performance, we rely on 

customer focused surveys. The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) provides 

information on citizen satisfaction with Federal Government. It is the only national, crossindustry measure of satisfaction with the quality of goods and services available in the United 

States. 

Since 1999, the Federal Government selected ACSI to measure citizen satisfaction. More than 

100 Federal agencies have used ACSI to gauge consumer satisfaction with more than 200 

services and programs. The Index was founded at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of 

Business and the survey is produced by ACSI, LLC. 

While citizen satisfaction with the services provided by the Federal Government remained 

constant from FY 2014 to FY 2015, VA was among a few agencies that attained an ACSI similar 

to or higher than private sector companies. Figure 39 provides some of the top ACSI ranking 

scores by Federal Agencies.
72 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Figure 39: ACSI Scores by Federal Agencies

As in prior years of ACSI measurement, both federal and local government services score far 

below every private economic sector in user satisfaction. Durable products lead the way with an 

ACSI benchmark of 79—a full 15 points higher than both local and federal government (64). 

While government satisfaction has weakened over the past three years, the gap between it and 

private sector satisfaction has narrowed slightly because the latter also has declined steadily 

since the third quarter of 2013.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 73

Figure 40: ACSI Score: Public and Private Sector Comparison

FY 2015 Organizational Accomplishments 

Office of the Secretary 

The Office of the Secretary (OSVA), in FY 2015, accomplished the following: 

• Established the MyVA Advisory Committee. The Committee brings together skilled 

experts from the private, non-profit and government sectors to assist in reorienting the 

Department to better meet the needs of Veterans. This Committee is charged with 

advising the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with a focus on improving customer service, 

Veteran outcomes and setting the course for long-term reform and excellence.

• In November 2014, VA Secretary announced and began executing a major VA 

restructuring initiative, called MYVA, to provide Veterans with a “a seamless, integrated 

and responsive customer service experience — whether they arrive at VA digitally, by 

phone or in person,” The MyVA initiative reduces redundancies in its current 

organizational system to 5 regions 
74 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

VA Diversity Council 

The VA Diversity Council (VADC) recognizes attitudes and behaviors are inextricably linked to 

training and employee development. In FY 2015, the VADC continues to echo its support for 

the Mandatory EEO, Diversity, and Conflict Management Training for Managers and 

Supervisors. 

Administrations 

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) continued executing its two year Technical Career 

Field (TCF) program. The TFC includes a mentorship component. The FY 2015 TCF program 

offered 300 full time positions including 10 EEO positions. Graduates from the 2012 class were 

successfully placed into EEO Manager/Specialist positions within VHA. The 2013 program 

included five EEO trainees who completed the first year of the program and continue to receive 

specific training as described in the Individual Development Plans. The 2014 program employed 

10 EEO trainees, who began their training between June and November 2014.

OHE conducted a VHA-wide environmental scan focused on health equity, health disparities, 

and/or vulnerable Veteran populations. The purpose of the Health Equity Environmental Scan 

was to identify all health equity related programs, pilots, quality improvement initiatives, 

research protocol and/or resource materials underway at the VHA in 2015 or completed in the

last year. 118 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) and 26 VHACO program offices 

participated. Additionally, 11 VISNs had network-wide projects addressing health equity, 

disparities, and/or vulnerable populations.

OHE remained the catalyst for VA medical centers being recognized as a “Leader in Lesbian, 

Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Healthcare Equality” in the Healthcare Equality Index 

(HEI). The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation conducted annual surveys in 2013, 

2014, and 2015. The HRC designed the HEI to allow U.S. healthcare organizations to assess the 

degree to which they provide LGBT patient-centered care and to identify healthcare gaps. To 

achieve the HEI leader status, VAMC’s documented that they publicized to their patients and 

visitors the VHA system-wide policy, which stipulates the requirement to provide equal 

visitation rights to LGBT people and prohibit LGBT patient and employment discrimination.

VMCs completed training on LGBT using materials developed within VHA and available on the 

Talent Management System, VA eHealth University and Training Finder Real-time Affiliated 

Integrated Network (TRAIN) with Continuing Medical Education (CME) accreditation. For the 

current year, VAMCs participated in the 2015/2016 HEI challenge to earn the HEI Leader Status 

awarded by the HRC Foundation. The final results are pending but preliminary results indicate 

that VA will likely surpass prior years’ performance.

OHE and the Employee Education System (EES) created four short videos, four 4-minute 

videos. Each video features providers who work in VHA discussing their own stories of bias and 

unconscious bias. A Knowledge Now Guide that includes background, instructions, discussion 

questions and additional resources accompany the videos. The tool is targeted for employees 

who directly interact with Veterans, and also helpful for employees who do not. The tool is 

flexible and can be administered as a ten-minute series over four team meetings, in existing 

training modules, or individually. Participants examine their bias, and through awareness and 

interaction improve their interpersonal communications and cultural competency with Veterans 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 75

and colleagues. The tool is also included on the Organizational Health Tool Kit for VHA 

Executive leaders.

Through the VHA Train Portal, LGBT CME credits are now available. The first series of 

trainings focus on Transgender Veterans. This effort is the result of collaborations facilitated 

through the Health Equity Coalition and the OHE in advancing the VHA Health Equity Action 

Plan.

In FY 2015 the VHA EEO Training Institute conducted and coordinated the following training 

for a variety of audiences to include VHA managers, employees, and EEO professionals to 

improve workforce cultural competency and strengthen cultural awareness. The training topics 

were:

• Reach for Diversity

• Micro-Inequities

• Reasonable Accommodation Compliance System

• Special Emphases Program Advisory Committee Strategic Plan

• Understanding Hiring Authorities/Recruitment and Staffing for Veterans and People with 

Disabilities

• Unconscious Bias

• Limited English Proficiency

• Barrier Analysis: MD 715

• Working with Difficult People

• Cultural Humility and Cultural Competency

• Conflict Resolution

• Bullying in the Workplace

• EEO Best Practices

• Harassment/Reprisal Discrimination

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) continues to facilitate culturally competent service 

to Veterans, their families, and beneficiaries. IN FY 2015, the Minority Veterans Coordinator 

from the Sioux Falls RO met quarterly with the Sioux Falls VA American Indian Advisory 

Council and developed more effective outreach practices that resulted in employment 

opportunities for Native American Veterans. 

VBA ROs utilized the services of state employment offices, the Department of Labor’s 

Workforce Recruitment Program, the Department of Health and Human Services, affinity groups 

such as Veterans Service Organizations, the Center for Minority Veterans, the Center for Women 

Veterans, and the Federal Asian Pacific American Council to recruit qualified Veterans. 

Summer interns continued to be recruited from The Washington Center, the Minority Access 

Incorporated, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, Hispanic 

Association of Colleges and Universities, National Diversity Internship Program, and other 

programs.

VBA supervisors and managers completed mandatory EEO, diversity, and conflict management 

training in compliance with the Secretary’s EEO, Diversity, Notification and federal Employee 

Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act (No FEAR) Policy Statement issued April 20, 2015 with 

98=percent compliance. Also, the following training was completed in FY 2015: supervisors 
76 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

and managers at the Oakland RO completed the “Diversity and Conflict Management” course 

with 100-percent compliance; diversity and inclusion training was provided to all supervisors, 

managers, and employees within the Office of Management; the Office of Employee 

Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) conducted an eight-hour EEO class each month at 

the Baltimore Academy for candidates enrolled in leadership programs.

EEDI also coordinated mandatory RA training for all VBA directors, supervisors, LRACs, and 

EEO managers, which consisted of two on-line training modules: a two-hour video called 

“Conversation with Lawyers: Reasonable Accommodation,” and a six-minute training session 

called “Compliance Impact: Reason Accommodation.” The training provided participants with 

the legal requirements of RA and guided them through the stages of the RA process in 

accordance with VA Handbook 5975.1 and EEOC provisions. General Counsel conducted RA 

training at the Directors’ Conference in June 2015, and EEDI conducted RA training at the St. 

Louis and St. Petersburg ROs.

VBA performed an annual review and update of its EEO policies to reflect new legal provisions 

and provide employees with current information for FY 2015: EEO Policy Statement, Prevention 

and Elimination of Harassment in the Workplace, Prevention of Sexual Harassment Policy 

Statement, and VBA’s ADR Policy. 

The National Cemetery Administration continued to receive the highest rating in customer 

satisfaction for any Federal agency or private corporation surveyed, according to a prestigious, 

independent survey of customer satisfaction. No other Federal or private organization has scored 

as high as NCA which has sustained high customer service scores for more than a decade, 

outpacing such corporations as Apple, FedEx, Starbuck’s, General Motors, Ford, and many 

others. NCA participation in the annual All Employee Survey (AES) that measures overall 

employee satisfaction, specifically, job satisfaction and civility indexes, was 77 percent 

exceeding the national goal response rate of 60 percent. 

Assistant Secretaries 

The Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) Principle Deputy Vice Chairman serves on the 

Department’s Diversity Council, Subcommittee on Emerging Issues, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and 

Transgender (LGBT) Workgroup and the LGBT Public Relations Subcommittee. The Principle 

Deputy Vice Chairman was a speaker at the LGBT Pride Celebration; serving as a role model for 

Department employees. The Principle Deputy Vice Chairman served as a visible presence in the 

Diversity and Inclusion area by networking on behalf of the Department at the Out and Equal 

Conference, using his connections to book the Army’s first opening gay General to speak at 

VA’s LGBT Pride Month Celebration. The Principle Deputy Vice Chairman built bridges to 

LGBT Veterans groups by volunteer to film a Veterans’ Day Ceremony for use in a 

documentary.

BVA continues to garner much success in the realm of customer service through effective use of 

the in-house training efforts; the Quality Review staff, and a newly developed Board Diversity 

Committee. The BVA Diversity Committee is still in its initial development stage with the 

overarching goal to infuse diversity and inclusion principles into the day-to-day activities of the 

Board. The combination of these tools has resulted in higher quality decisions and a heightened 

attention to world class customer satisfaction for both internal and external stakeholders.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 77

The Office of Management (OM) has established and maintains vital relationships, with internal 

and external stakeholders. This is evidenced by Congressional Support of VA Budget requests. 

Additionally when VA’s performance metrics were reduced, HRA’s “Percentage of VA 

Employees who are Veterans” was preserved, enabling OPM to monitor VA’s progress in this 

area and to raise issues to senior management’s attention. 

The Office of Information and Technology (OIT) utilizing the Federal Employee Viewpoint 

Survey results on its workforce to identify underlying themes impacting employee morale and 

engagement the, DMAC recommended and implemented the following:

• A Dignity and Respect Campaign to be led by the Assistant Secretary for OIT

• Incorporate OPM’s New IQ into OIT. The New IQ consists of a 6 step process that 

takes 90 days from start to finish.

The DMAC Chairperson attended the 2015 AAPI workshops and Diversity and Inclusion I –

DIG National Pre-Conference Institute. OIT hosted a training session on Parallel Thinking: 

Alternative to Argument. Additionally, the DMAC Chairperson completed the New IQ Master 

Game-Changer Course presented by OPM. 

The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) is the parent office of the Office of 

Administration, the Office of Resolution Management, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the 

Office of Labor Management Relations, and the Office of Labor Management Relations.

The Office of Labor Management Relations (LMR) provided timely and effective customer 

service to the public, Veterans, other Federal and non-Federal agencies as well as VA 

employees. LMR supported the VA National Partnership Council (NPC) in its work in 

promoting effective and cooperative labor-management relations across the Department. 

Additionally, LMR engaged in joint Labor-Management Workgroups, Committees, and Councils 

as stakeholders in addressing VA issues. LMR made available training initiatives that support 

the delivery of an effective Labor-Management program, such as Master Collective Bargaining 

Agreement Training, Labor-Management Forum Training and Interest Based Negotiations 

Training.

The Office of Resolution Management (ORM) administered the fourth ADR Excellence Awards 

in March 2015 to recognize exemplary effort on the part of employees, managers, ADR neutrals, 

the Office of General Counsel, senior executives, ADR programs, and ADR 

committees/councils/forums in managing conflict and resolving workplace disputes and EEO 

complaints.

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has primary responsibility for initiatives related to 

workforce diversity and organizational inclusion. In FY 2015, ODI accomplished the following: 

• Updated the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Policy Statement on EEO, Diversity, No 

FEAR, and Whistleblower Protections to reflect new legal protections based on sexual 

orientation and gender identity/transgender status.
78 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Achieved Office of Special Counsel certification for its Whistleblower Rights and 

Protection Program.

• ODI delivered 205 elective virtual or face-to-face learning events at VA facilities 

nationwide to over 8,134 VA employees addressing the following topics: bullying, 

generations, processing reasonable accommodation requests, VISN Support Service 

Center training, barrier analysis, LGBT, the inclusion paradigm, diversity and inclusion 

for new employees and new supervisors, and cultural competency. (This 8,134 includes 

the 2,092 in item 2.2)

• VA continues to excel with its mandatory bi-annual training programs “EEO, Diversity, 

and Conflict Management Training for Managers and Supervisors,” The supervisor and 

manager workforce is 93 percent compliant. 

• Administered the mandatory all employees Workplace Harassment and No FEAR 

training for over 350,000 VA employees. 

• Administered training on prohibited personnel practices and whistleblower rights and 

protection to the executive, manager, and supervisor workforce. The executive, 

manager, and supervisor workforce is 98 percent compliant.

• Delivered face-to-face training sessions to employees, managers, and supervisors in 

specialized cultural competency including topics of general cultural competency, 

generational awareness, and LGBT awareness. 

• ODI issued strategic communications through 12 monthly Diversity@Work Newsletters, 

6 bimonthly Diversity News broadcasts, and 11 Newslinks. 

• Administered the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Annual Diversity and Inclusion

Excellence Awards Program to recognize achievements in three categories of the VA 

workforce. 

• Administered quarterly VA Diversity Council meetings and EEO Stakeholder meetings 

and performed contract oversight and project management for the Diversity Council 

directed initiatives.

The Office of Labor Management Relations supported the VA National Partnership Council 

(NPC) in its work on promoting effective and cooperative labor-management relations across the 

Department. Additionally, LMR engaged in joint Labor-Management Workgroups, Committees, 

and Councils as stakeholders in addressing VA issues. LMR made available training initiatives 

that support the delivery of an effective Labor-Management program, such as Master Collective 

Bargaining Agreement Training, Labor-Management Forum Training and Interest Based 

Negotiations Training.

The Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) Congressional Liaison Service 

(CLS) provides constituent support services to Members of Congress. During FY 2015, the CLS 

team fielded over 13,178 telephone and 3,608 e-mail inquiries and processed 7,508 letters in 

support of Veterans’ constituent casework issues concerning healthcare and benefits. 

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) continues to garner much success in the realm of 

customer service through effective use of in-house training efforts and the Quality Review staff. 

The combination of these tools has resulted in higher quality decisions and a heightened attention 

to world class customer satisfaction for both internal and external stakeholders. The Principal 

Deputy Vice Chairman serves on the Department’s Diversity Council, Subcommittee on 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 79

Emerging Issues, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Workgroup and also was a 

speaker at the LGBT Pride Celebration; serving as a role model for Department employees. The 

Principal Deputy Vice Chairman served as a visible presence in the Diversity and Inclusion arena 

by networking on behalf of the Department at the Out and Equal Conference, using his 

connections to book the Army’s first opening gay General to speak at the VA’s LGBT Pride 

Month Celebration, the Department’s most successful affinity program of the year. The 

Principal Deputy Vice Chairman built bridges to LGBT Veteran groups by volunteering to film a 

Veterans’ Day Ceremony for use in a documentary. 

The Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC) provided outstanding customer 

service to both internal and external customers and stakeholders continuously. OALC is 

committed to ensuring employees are in compliance with all mandatory training including 

supplemental classroom training conducted by the Office of Resolution Management which 

expands on EEO subjects to include topics of Diversity and Inclusion, ADR, conflict 

management, and EEO General Principles and Processes. As in previous years, OALC continues 

to work with the VA Veterans Employment Service Office, various other VA organizations, 

Federal agencies, and other special emphasis organizations that assist Veterans, minorities, and 

those with disabilities to inform them of programs and employment opportunities in OALC. 

Engagement meetings were also held with various Federal agencies (DoD, National Institutes of 

Health, GSA, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Agriculture, etc.) to increase 

participation in the OALC programs. OALC provided customer training that offered a myriad of 

acquisition-related material to VA personnel, covering essential topics, such as market research, 

performance work statements, cost estimates, and technical evaluations. Each of these training 

units, along with ‘hands-on’ workshops provided the customers with fundamental information 

that would help them better comprehend the acquisition process and associated documentation.
80 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

FY 2016 Planned Initiatives

In FY 2015 and beyond, VA will focus on building upon current initiatives and adding new 

strategies in furtherance of its goal of “fostering a diverse workforce and an inclusive work 

environment” to better serve our Nation’s Veterans. 

Office of the Secretary 

The Office of the Secretary (OSVA) is the top level office for the Center for Minority Veterans, 

the Center for Women Veterans, the Office of Survivors Assistance, and the Office of 

Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication. 

The Center for Minority Veterans (CMV) will continue to conduct targeted outreach activities 

with stakeholders in minority veteran communities, and serve on a consultative basis with 

internal VA program offices. The CMV will collaborate with the VA Office of Health Equity, 

the Health Equity and Rural Outreach Innovation Center (HEROIC), and the Center for Health 

Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP) to assist in the efforts to address health disparities, and 

encourage minority veteran participation in research trials. The CMV will establish relationships 

with at least eight new stakeholders in minority veteran communities, to provide them 

information on VA benefits and services. The CMV will continue to collaborate with Minority 

Veterans Program Coordinators from the three VA Administrations to conduct targeted outreach. 

The CMV and Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans will conduct a site visit in a city with 

a large minority veteran population, and later publish a report containing recommendations to 

enhance service provision to minority veterans. CMV will collaborate with the MyVA and 

Veterans Experience Office to ensure the inclusion of minority Veterans in surveys, targeted 

outreach, and other projects.

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) plans to continue to 

• Focus on recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.

• Focus on communication and learning which emphasize understanding and appreciation of 

diversity and inclusion.

• Review and revise OGC internal policies and practices to ensure compliance with the 

Departments Diversity and Inclusion goals.

• Develop and institutionalize a sustainable Diversity and Inclusion strategy that is integral to OGC 

operations.

Office of Inspector General (OIG) will strive to meet or exceed its current level of diversity and 

inclusion through the use of recruitment strategies, hiring methods, and communication 

mechanisms. OIG will continue to seek highly qualified candidates of all backgrounds and 

experiences. Veterans, women, and minorities will continue to make up a significant portion of 

the hiring pool. Furthermore, OIG has carefully reviewed the results of the recently released 

“Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey” to ensure the organization remains the employer of choice 

for individuals seeking a meaningful career in the Federal government. In FY 2015, when asked 

if they recommend their agency as a good place to work 79.2 percent responded positively, 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 81

which is a 12 percent increase from FY 2014. Additionally, in FY 2015 there was a 13.9

percent increase of positive responses when asked how satisfied employees are with OIG. These 

actions will form the cornerstone of OIG’s plan for 2016 and beyond to promote a diverse, 

inclusive workplace that helps to promote employee excellence and exceptional service to 

veterans and their families. 

The Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (CFBNP), in FY 2015, will 

continue to collaborate with VA’s CWV, CMV, OSA, VBA, VHA and with the Women 

Veterans Resource Center (WVRC) to educate, inform and engage diverse faith-based, nonprofit 

and community/ neighborhood organizations to meet the needs of our Nation’s Veterans. 

CFBNP is proposing to amend regulations enacted under 2003’s ‘‘Equal Protection of Laws for 

Faith-Based and Community Organizations’’ in order to eliminate confusing language that may 

prevent or delay services to Veterans, make grant decisions more fair or bolster religious 

freedoms of Veterans when receiving services from a faith-based organization. The proposed 

reform involves the simple changing of the phrase “inherently religious activities” to “explicitly 

religious activities.” While it may appear to be a small change, it is indeed a very important 

change when providing financial assistance to faith-based partners. By law, the federal 

government is prohibited from providing funds to pay for religious activities such devotional 

exercises, worship, or dissemination of devotional guides or other religious material. when 

applied specifically to VA and the Veterans we serve, the federal government can provide 

funding to a faith-based organization that provides benefits and services to Veterans as long as 

the organization does not use the funds to promote religion. This funding must directly benefit 

Veterans free and clear of any the previously listed religious activities.

VA Diversity Council 

The VA Diversity Council (VADC) will move into its seventh year of operation under a new 

name, the Diversity and Inclusion Veterans Affairs Council (DIVAC) in FY 2016. The new 

charter will focus on the continued effort to increase its efforts and engagement in driving the 

diversity and inclusion initiatives essential for VA meets its commitment towards 21st century 

excellence. In order to meet this commitment, the DIVAC will develop a new VA Diversity and 

Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2016 – FY 2020, which will be alignment with directives of the 

Diversity and Inclusion in Government Council established March 2015. 

Administrations 

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) will continue using Veteran hiring authorities such as 

the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act

(VEOA), the 30 percent or more Disabled Veterans, Title 38 and Title 38 Hybrid authorities, as 

well as Schedule A utilization to increase Veteran and disability employment levels in the 

workforce.

VHA will create an email distribution listing of Schedule A applicants to forward VHA Job 

announcements as a strategy to increase opportunities for employing individuals with disabilities 

nationally. 
82 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

In February 2016, the VHA REACH Video is projected to be completed. The video will be 

distributed nationally and used as a marketing tool to demonstrate workforce diversity and 

highlighting the positive experiences of all VHA employees.

The VHA ODI and VHA D & I SC will continue to collaborate with the Healthcare Talent 

Management National Program Office to collect baseline data on workforce diversity to 

determine if progress is being made to increase diversity in the workforce pipeline and VHA 

career development programs.

VHA will continue to collaborate with internal and external organizations including VBA, NCA, 

VESO, the Veterans Entrepreneurship Task Force, and the Wounded Warrior Program to 

leverage opportunities to increase outreach and recruitment of Veterans and other targeted 

groups.

VHA ODI will continue to monitor and measure the employment of the VHA workforce by 

various demographic groupings ( Veteran status, race/ethnicity, and disability status). The 

intention is to identify areas of the workforce lifecycle (i.e. hiring, development, attrition) in 

which there may be barriers to equal employment opportunities.

VHA ODI will continue to host quarterly Community of Practice (COP) Conference Calls 

related to diversity and inclusion. One of the COP calls will feature the VHA winners of the 

Secretary’s Fourth Annual Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards program to highlight their 

award winning programs and best practices.

VHA ODI will coordinate employee engagement training and implement the “Employee 

Engagement Workgroup” to develop strategies to increase VHA employee engagement and 

workforce inclusiveness.

The VHA EEO/AEO will continue conducting the VHA EEO Quarterly Survey to assess 

compliance on the six essential elements of a comprehensive EEO program. 

VHA will continue to leverage use of the two year TCF program including its formal mentorship 

component. The EEO/AEO was approved for 10 positions for the FY 2016 program.

The EEO Training Institute has the following sessions on the training schedule for FY 2016:

• Impact of Generation Diversity in the Workforce

• Special Emphasis Program Manager Role and Responsibilities

• Bullying in the Workplace

• Special Emphasis Program Advisory Committee (SEPAC) Strategic Plan Update

• External Complains

• New Inclusion Quotient

• EEO Law

• Conflict Resolution

• Limited English Proficiency Training

• Building Awareness of Sexual Orientation

• Numbers Count (Barrier Analysis)

• Unconscious Bias

• Micro Inequities
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 83

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will continue to hire qualified Veterans and IWTDs 

by utilizing direct hiring authorities, such as the Veteran Readjustment Act (VRA) and Schedule 

A appointments, participating in job fairs, and through a robust military and Veteran outreach 

programs that include transition briefings on military bases. These best practices continue to 

yield VBA results which consistently exceed VA’s onboard and hiring goals for Veterans and 

individuals with targeted disabilities.

Even with its diverse workforce, VBA has a less-than-expected representation as compared to 

the Civilian Labor Force for White males and females, Hispanic males and females, and Asian 

males and females. Further, there is an underrepresentation of Black males and females within 

the higher grades and SES cadre. VBA will partner with affinity groups and attend job fairs at 

universities and colleges and other facilities that have a large representation of these groups. 

This should increase VBA’s applicant pool of qualified individuals from the above 

underrepresented groups.

VBA will continue to support and promote EEO, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace 

through training to ensure managers, supervisors, and employees are informed and in compliance 

with VA and EEOC provisions and requirements.

VBA will conduct EEO, diversity, inclusion, and reasonable accommodations training. 

Evaluation instruments and metrics including internal surveys will be used to assess the 

effectiveness of the training and identify additional needs of VBA’s employees, supervisors, and 

managers. Future VBA leaders will continue to be cultivated through training and educational 

programs, as well as the Summer Internship Program to foster a diverse and inclusive work 

environment. 

VBA plans for additional responsible authorities to participate in TARS administered by the VA 

central office. 

Senior leaders will continue to be rated on the EEO, Diversity, and Inclusion Element in their 

performance standards.

In compliance with MD 715, all EEO-related policies will be reviewed, updated, and 

disseminated to VBA offices. Employees, supervisors, and managers will be monitored to 

enforce completion of mandatory EEO, diversity, and inclusion training.

The National Cemetery Administration (NCA) will continue to implement strategies that align 

with VA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan to meet department and administration goals 

and objectives. Senior leaders, managers, supervisors and employees will continue to participate 

in diversity and inclusion activities including SEP committee meetings; ERG implementation; 

diversity and inclusion training; barrier analysis; applicant-flow data analysis; and disability 

employment. NCA’s EEO Office will continue to engage employees at all levels of the 

workforce to assure compliance and to assist in coordination and implementation of strategies 

needed to have a culturally competent workforce. 

The following is a list of NCA planned activities for FY 2016: 
84 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• During FY 2016, the Training and Workforce Development department will continue the 

process of evaluating all training programs in the Administration to assess their 

effectiveness, and make necessary changes to increase value. 

• NCA will promote employee usage of MyCareers@VA, the Equal Employment 

Opportunity Occupational Family Web site from Veterans Affairs Learning University 

(VALU) establishing career maps across all occupational groups allowing employees to 

identify the steps needed to qualify for positions both internal and external to their current 

occupational family. 

• The Cemetery Directors Intern program will continue to serve as the primary leadership 

pipeline program in NCA, recruitment strategies such as the NCA job informational 

webinars will continue to be implemented to ensure there is sufficient targeted group 

representation in applicant pools. 

• NCA will continue implementing GEAR and the monthly formal recognition program to 

recognize the results and contributions of NCA’s outstanding supervisors and employees, 

and encourage employees to participate in VALU on-line training on employee 

competency courses.

• NCA will partner with external and internal organizations such as VHA, Veterans Benefit 

Administration (VBA), the Veteran Employment Service Office (VESO), The Veterans 

Entrepreneurship Task Force (VET-Force), and the Wounded Warrior Program to 

leverage opportunities to outreach and recruit targeted groups as well as Veterans. 

• In FY 2016, all managers will receive comprehensive diversity training. The NCA EEO 

will continue conducting conflict management training, facilitations, focus groups and 

group discussions at NCA facilities nationwide, as needed to improve cultural 

competency and workforce climate. NCA will continue conducting Cemetery Director 

Intern Program job informational webinars which entail a panel of seven graduates from 

the program who each discuss different aspects of the course including the mentoring 

program. Detailed marketing strategies will be employed prior to the event to ensure 

high levels of target group representation.

• In FY 2016, NCA will continue implementation of programs such NCA’s Executive 

Diversity Council (EDC), the National Special Emphasis Program Committee 

(SEAPAC), Limited English Proficiency Program; Title VI program; and the Reasonable 

Accommodation Program. In FY16, NCA plans to implement nationwide employee 

programs, one of the initial Special Emphasis Employee programs will be an NCA 

chapter of the Federal Women’s Program (FWP), which will focus heavily on increasing 

women’s representation and recruiting women to serve in non-traditional positions such 

as a Cemetery Caretaker position at NCA. 

• NCA plans to have a series of webinars concerning FWP, and begin addressing issues 

more centric to women employees at the administration. 

• In FY 2016, NCA will continue using special hiring authorities and recruiting resources 

such as Delegated Examining Units and the Compensated Work Therapy Program, to 

increase levels of Veterans and civilian disabled employees. 

• NCA will continue to conduct facilitations at NCA facilities with workplace disputes, 

EEO site visits, group discussions, and conflict management training at facilities with 

high levels of workplace grievances and complaints. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 85

• NCA will continue providing its employees with access to vital and confidential personal 

service through the NCA Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP provides for up to 

six counseling sessions with licensed therapists nationwide covering a wide range of 

personal, work, financial, and emotional issues.

• The EAP also provides 24/7 toll-free hotline support help to those in need. In FY 2016 

NCA will continue implementation of the telework program at all levels of the 

organization.

• NCA continues to develop plans to create nationwide Employee Resource Groups (ERG) 

for FY 2016. This will include a Veterans’ ERG. The ERG functions will include:

• Participating in the onboarding process by engaging employees about their 

transition into the workforce and discussing developmental opportunities

• Employee Engagement (coaching and mentoring new employees)

• Participating in the exit survey process to gather and develop data for analysis 

used to increase retention levels

• Talent management and targeted recruitment; and

• Regional Workforce and Barrier Analysis/Management Directive 715 (MD-715)

• In FY 2016, NCA will continue to use the Special Emphasis Program to provide training 

for managers, supervisors and employees. The program also increase awareness on the 

needs of targeted groups, such as our Nation’s disabled Veterans and serve as a resource 

for both managers and employees to educate on the vase cultural diversity in our 

workforce.

• NCA will continue conducting customer service surveys at facilities nationwide to 

guarantee the highest level of customer satisfaction the Administration can provide. 

• In FY 2016, NCA will continue to participate in the All Employee Survey (AES). Based 

upon the AES results, NCA District Offices will continue to implement and adjust AES 

action plans annually, and the EEO Office will coordinate and conduct a series of training 

events through webinars, conference calls, and site visits.

Assistant Secretaries 

The Office of Management (OM) will continue to cultivate a workplace environment of open 

effective communications, with clear channels for feedback, placing specific emphasis on 

diversity awareness skills and effective organizational systems that support diversity and 

inclusion. OM plans to continue building its workforce by leveraging alternative hiring methods, 

diversity, empowering employees and encouraging staff to participate in Diversity and Inclusion 

training and events. OM will continue to participate on VA’s Diversity Council and will 

continue to subscribe and distribute the “Diversity@Work” newsletter to all its employees.

The Office of Information and Technology (OIT) will introduce the Dignity and Respect 

Campaign to create a more inclusive workplace culture. 

The Office of Policy and Planning (OPP) will continue to maintain a strong training program and 

has incorporated training into the annual performance and individual development plan of all 

employees. OPP will continue to serve as an active partner on the VADC in 2016. While the 

OPP senior executive role on the Council will remain, it is fully expected this important council 

will continue to serve as a communication link between the workforce and leadership, providing 
86 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

guidance to advance the Department’s goals for diversity and inclusion. OPP will encourage a 

strong participation in the VA Annual Employee Survey and will carefully analyze, develop 

action plans, and implement them based on the results of the survey.

The Office of Human Resources and Administration (HRA) is the parent office of the Office of 

Resolution Management, the Office of Administration, and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. 

The Office of Resolution Management (ORM) will continue to collaborate with ODI to provide 

training to VA facilities on EEO, Disability and Reasonable Accommodation when requested as 

a preventive measure or when ordered by EEOC or OEDCA pursuant to findings of

discrimination. Other planned activities include:

• Continue monitoring for compliance of training ordered as a result of a finding of 

discrimination and certifies all training content and training agendas. 

• Ensuring that training is completed in all cases involving a finding of discrimination and 

evaluations are analyzed and published. 

• Conduct site visits to facilities with high per capita rates and conduct training and 

outreach and assessments when requested/required.

• Ensure neutrals are assigned within 2 business days of ADR election and ADR scheduled 

promptly so resolution efforts can occur before the Notice of Right to File Formal is 

issued. Ensure sufficient full-time and contract neutrals are available to timely complete 

ADR and work with parties to achieve early resolution.

• Collaborate with the Anti-Harassment Office to address allegations of harassment before 

they become EEO complaints.

• Encourage ORM staff to report to District Managers and Regional Directors complaints 

involving failure to accommodate, sexual harassment, and per se retaliation as these are 

the claims on which discrimination is most often found.

• Ensure ORM ADR resources are available to assist parties in resolving work-related 

issues when ORM neutrals are unavailable

The Office of Administration (OA) will continue to reach out to VA for VETS to locate qualified 

Veterans to fill positions within the organization and will provide on-the-job cross training to 

current employees to preserve the institutional knowledge of retirement eligible employees. OA 

will advertise employment towards career ladder positions to gain new ideas and technology, as 

well as maintain the longevity of personnel in the organization. Schedule A and qualified 

veterans are reached and referred for possible employment through merit promotion and public 

advertisement via VA for VETS and COHRS Staffing and Recruitment Office on an on-going 

basis. 

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), in FY 2015 and beyond, will lead the following 

initiatives: 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 87

• Promote participation in the Secretary’s Annual Diversity and Inclusion Excellence 

Awards Program and in the Secretary’s Annual Alternative Dispute Resolution 

Excellence Awards Program.

• Refine anti-harassment program: (1) enhance anti-harassment coordinator (AHC) 

network, (2) expand case management system, and (3) launch training for employees, 

supervisors, managers, union officials, and AHCs.

• Continue marketing MyCareer@VA to additional facilities focusing on career mapping 

strategies to facilitate career advancement for all groups. 

• Continue to track VA-wide disciplinary actions taken against RMOs in findings of 

discrimination and report as appropriate.

• Continue implementation of training evaluation instrument and metrics.

• Integrate the new USA Staffing Applicant Flow System into VA HR information 

system... 

• Update VSSC to track participation in VA leadership development programs by REG in 

VA’s TMS.

• Increase the number of Conflict Assessments conducted to provide insight that may 

improve workplaces and reduce disputes and complaints.

• Revise the management and implementation of ODI’s Web site.

• Review VA Directive 5975 and related handbooks; publish TAR handbook.

• Design and initiate Special Emphasis Program training for all VBA EEO managers.

• Continue to streamline the FAD process.

• Revise the Relevant Civilian Labor Force computation to align with EEOC guidance.

• VA ODI staff will continue to implement the National Diversity Internship Program that 

provides career exploration opportunities for current undergraduate and graduate students 

from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. 

• VA ODI staff will continue to implement the Workforce Recruitment Program, a 

program used to connect federal and private sector employers nationwide with college 

students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the 

workplace through summer employment or permanent jobs. 

• Design and initiate Special Emphasis Program training for all VBA EEO managers.

• Conduct technical and quality review of the refresh projects on mandatory EEO, D&I, 

Reasonable Accommodation, Conflict Resolution Training, and whistleblower rights and 

protection; conduct technical and quality review of the refresh project on harassment 

prevention, NoFEAR, and whistleblower protection for all employees. Plan deployment 

for early FY 2017. 

• Design, obtain funding, implement, and report on World Café events to initiate racerelations dialogs at the VBA Records Management Center in St. Louis MO in mid 2016, 

preceded by a pilot test in VACO on December 8, 2015. (Notified local union 

representatives in St. Louis RMC/VACO in October/November 2015) 

• Develop and publish the VA D&I Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and integrate goals into the 

VA Strategic Plan and HR&A Strategic Plan.

• Manage administration of VA Diversity Council and proposed name change and charter 

revision.

• Establish a Diversity and Inclusion Competency Model.
88 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

• Plan and implement Whistleblower protection campaign to obtain OSC re-certification in 

Oct 2018.

The Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs (OCLA) will continue to fulfill the 

Departments Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

• OCLA will continue to support its high performing, diversified workforce by offering 

training opportunities to its workforce throughout the year. In regards to hiring actions, 

OCLA will explore all available hiring authorities, to include Schedule A, in order to 

select the best qualified candidate to fill the vacant position. All new employees will 

receive initial on-board training and be immediately assimilated into the OCLA team.

• In FY 2016, OCLA will continue to strive to achieve higher levels of performance. 

OCLA is a very dynamic organization and values its employees’ initiative and ability to 

re-prioritize work actions rapidly. OCLA seeks results oriented employees who will be 

major contributors to accomplishing the organization’s mission. OCLA will continue to 

nurture and develop its workforce. OCLA supports the MYVA values and inclusion 

among its workforce. Given the very dynamic and high intensity environment OCLA 

operates in, the entire workforce is needed to ensure mission accomplishment. OCLA is 

committed to work in concert with VA’s Learning University to provide its employees 

with training opportunities designed to benefit their professional development.

• OCLA will continue to fulfill its primary role of advancing pro-Veteran legislation for 

our diverse Veteran population and will continue to keep the precepts of diversity and 

inclusion at the forefront as we accomplish our mission.

The Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC) will continue its efforts in being a 

prominent, diverse, results oriented, high-performing workforce in FY 2015. OALC is 

committed to continue to build a diverse workforce to foster a high-performing workforce that 

reflects all segments of society. OALC will continually assess its workforce data by evaluating 

diversity and assuring that promotions, awards, recognitions, training and upward mobility 

opportunities are occurring equitably. OALC will assess our retention and outreach recruitment 

strategies as we move forward, utilizing exit interviews to obtain feedback and reviewing the 

diversity of candidates. 

• OALC will expand its flexible and inclusive work environment, while providing 

outstanding and responsive service to customers and stakeholders, both internal and 

external. 

• OALC will continue to support VA initiatives on Veteran hiring by offering rotational 

assignments to W2W interns and engage in targeted recruitment to broaden the workforce 

profile. Special hiring authorities will be utilized whenever possible. Leadership will 

engage in on-going discussions to educate managers and employees on the benefits of 

having an inclusive and diverse workforce.

• OALC will continue to participate at Veteran or student job fairs and advertise critical 

vacancies in professional journals targeting engineering and architectural talent.

• OALC will further encourage employees: (1) to increase their skills using the Federal 

Acquisition Certification programs, formal education, and participation in professional 

organizations; (2) to engage networking opportunities through local college and 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 89

university career fairs and Veteran outreach programs; and (3) to establish ongoing 

conversations and exchanges with historically underrepresented groups in our workforce. 

• When the information is available, OALC will utilize human capital assessments and 

surveys to identify and analyze trends with regard to diversity and inclusion.

• OALC will continue to emphasize and provide on outstanding customer service both 

internally and externally by providing information for Veterans, Industry, and 

Government to customers and stakeholders. OALC will continue to improve information 

technology resources for better responsiveness to support customer requirements and 

reporting needs. OALC will monitor the mandatory EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, and 

Conflict Management training and courage participation and discussions in diversity and 

inclusion events and programs.

The Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness will continue to encourage the employees 

to support at least two Special Emphasis programs of their choice throughout the year. OSP 

leadership will continue to focus its outreach and recruitment program for IWTDs and Veterans 

and follow the Central Office Human Resources Service guidance.
90 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 91

References

April, K. & Blass, E., (2010). Measuring Diversity Practice and Developing Inclusion. University of 

Cape Town (SA) & Ashridge Business School (UK) and Eddie Blass (Senior Lecturer, University of 

Hertfordshire (UK). 

Mor Barak, M. E., & Cherin, D. A. (1998). A tool to expand organizational understanding of workforce 

diversity: Exploring a measure of inclusion-exclusion. Administration in Social Work. 

National Academy of Public Administration. 2008. Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse High- Performing 

Workforce. [Available from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion <odi@va.gov>.] 

Netter, (1998) The Netter Principles. 

Nishii, L. H. (2010). The benefits of climate for inclusion for diverse groups. Unpublished paper, Cornell 

University, Ithaca, NY. 

Shore, L. M., Randel, A.E., Chung, B. G., Dean, M.A., Ehrhart, K.H, Singe, G. (2010). Inclusion and 

Diversity in Work Groups; A Review and Model for Future Research. Journal of Management. 

The Workplace Diversity Network. 1999. A Framework for Building Organizational Inclusion. 

[<http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/wdn/upload/paper2.pdf>]. 

Thomas, R. Roosevelt. 1991. Beyond Race and Gender; Unleashing the Power of Your Work 

Force by Managing Diversity.
92 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

References

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2015. FY 2016 Budget Submission. 

http://www.va.gov/budget/products.asp

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2014. FY 2014 Performance and Accountability Report. 

http://www.va.gov/budget/report/

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2014. Department of Veterans Affairs Strategic Plan FY 2014-

2020. http://www.va.gov/op3/docs/StrategicPlanning/VA2014-2020strategicPlan.pdf

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2012. Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012– 2016. 

http://www.diversity.va.gov/products/files/StrategicPlan.pdf

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2010. Recruitment & Selection Best Practices Guide. 

http://www.diversity.va.gov/products/files/RSG.pdf
Appendices
94 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

VA Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2012-2016
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 95

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan

FY 2012–2016

Building a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace to 

deliver outstanding public service in the 21st century 

Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Office of Human Resources and Administration

March 2012
96 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Table of Contents

Message from the Chief Human Capital Officer ........................................................................................................97

Foreword ..................................................................................................................................................................................98

Organizational Acronyms................................................................................................................................................ 101

The Current State of VA ................................................................................................................................................... 102

Overview................................................................................................................................................................................ 109

Goal 1: A Diverse Workforce........................................................................................................................................... 110

Goal 2: An Inclusive Workplace..................................................................................................................................... 112

Goal 3: Outstanding Public Service.............................................................................................................................. 114

Applicable Laws .................................................................................................................................................................. 117

Merit System Principles................................................................................................................................................... 118
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 97

Message from the Chief Human Capital Officer

Employees are the foundation of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the key to its success, 

and there is an obvious connection between the quality of VA’s workforce and the quality of VA’s 

programs and services.

In order to ensure a continuous high level of care and service to Veterans, VA must recruit, retain, 

develop, and engage the best people possible. To do so, VA must cultivate a diverse workforce and 

an inclusive work environment—an environment in which all employees can contribute to the 

maximum extent possible to VA’s success.

VA’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) has the primary responsibility of providing leadership 

and guidance for the Department’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, and VA’s Diversity Council 

(VADC) serves as a forum to share best practices, consider new initiatives, monitor progress, 

leverage resources, and ensure accountability. Because of the important roles that they play, ODI

and the VADC were tasked with revising the Department’s Strategic Plan for Diversity and 

Inclusion, in response to the President’s call for a more comprehensive, integrated, and strategic 

focus on diversity and inclusion.

In the pages that follow are an overview of the current state of VA with respect to diversity and 

inclusion, along with goals, objectives, strategies, initiatives, and measures of progress for the 

Department’s revised diversity and inclusion strategic plan. Over the next few years, this plan will 

serve as a guide for the Department’s efforts to create and maintain a diverse, results-oriented, 

high-performing workforce; cultivate a flexible and inclusive work environment; facilitate 

outstanding service to our Nation’s Veterans; and ensure agency accountability and leadership.

John U. Sepúlveda

Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration
98 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Foreword

By the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diversity and Inclusion

In 2008, ODI embarked on a groundbreaking effort to change the dialogue about diversity and 

inclusion in the public sector and usher in a new paradigm linked to organizational performance. 

This new paradigm championed two inextricably intertwined precepts: equal employment 

opportunity (EEO) is foundational to an effective diversity management program; and diversity and 

inclusion are essential to high performance in the 21st century. VA remains unequivocally 

committed to ensuring equal opportunity in the workplace. We also understand that EEO is 

essential but not sufficient to create a high-performing organization in this millennium. 

VA defines diversity in its broadest context to include all that makes us unique: race, color, gender, 

religion, national origin, age, disability status, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental 

status, educational background, socioeconomic status, intellectual perspective, organizational level, 

and more. By doing so, we are able to harvest the full performance advantages our diversity offers. 

Inclusion is the means by which we harvest this talent. It is the deliberate effort to leverage 

diversity and empower all voices to contribute to the mission.

The change in paradigm began by restructuring and renaming our office to reflect the more 

proactive mission of the new Office of Diversity and Inclusion. That same year, ODI set out to lead 

the development of VA’s first strategic plan for diversity and inclusion. In 2009, the VA Diversity 

and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009–2013 was published. The plan attracted the attention of 

other Federal agencies, as well as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and 

Office of Personnel Management (OPM). A year later, OPM convened an interagency task force to 

develop the Federal sector’s first Government-Wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, largely 

modeled after VA’s Plan. This work culminated in President Barack Obama issuing Executive Order

13583, “Establishing a Coordinated Government-Wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion 

in the Federal Workforce” in 2011.

In addition to establishing a government-wide initiative, the Executive Order directed individual 

agencies to develop their own diversity and inclusion strategic plans consistent with the 

government-wide plan, the agency’s overall strategic plan, human capital plan, applicable laws and 

Merit System Principles. The government-wide plan identifies three strategic goals—workforce 

diversity, workplace inclusion, and sustainability—along with associated priorities. The guidance 

for agency-specific plans directs Federal agencies to outline the actions they will take to achieve the 

priorities identified in the government-wide plan.

The VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for 2012–2016 represents the collaborative efforts and 

contributions of VA’s organizational components and stakeholders to update VA’s plan to comport 

with the Government-Wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan’s goals and priorities. The 

original focus on workforce diversity, organizational inclusion, and customer service remains, and 

new objectives, strategies, and measures have been added to reflect current and emerging 

priorities. This plan is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to focus on higher priority areas in 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 99

light of limited resources. At the same time, it is intended to be discrete enough to guide the 

operational efforts of all VA components.

The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion

In the 2009 plan, we articulated the business case for diversity. This concept has since become well 

socialized in the public sector as Federal agencies increasingly understand that government also 

has a business imperative: fair and effective public service. Since 2009, we have all witnessed the 

dramatic effects of an interconnected global economy on the public and private sectors. We see 

with stark clarity that our effectiveness in providing responsive public services is dependent on our 

ability to rapidly adapt to the changing dynamics of our global environment. 

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that in 2042, our Nation will no longer be characterized by one

single demographic majority. Foreign-born people and people of color will constitute the majority 

of new entrants to our labor force. Currently, minority Veterans comprise approximately 20 

percent of the Veteran population, and about half of women Veterans are people of color. These 

numbers are expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. Therefore, for VA to properly 

serve its client base, it must also have a culturally competent and diverse workforce in all levels of 

the Department. This will require agility, innovation, and a world view to meet the complex 

demands of unprecedented societal diversity. 

In the decades following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the field of EEO has evolved 

from an exclusively legalistic model to the more proactive, business-driven framework of diversity 

management. The globalization of the last decade spawned yet a new focus on inclusion, and its 

relationship to employee engagement and performance. Organizations realized that to remain 

viable in a global economy, it was not enough to recruit a diverse workforce, but they must also 

retain and leverage the diverse perspectives and talents of its human capital to sustain a 

competitive advantage in the marketplace. This too applies to the public sector. 

The Inclusion Imperative

Numerous empirical studies have shown a positive correlation between workforce diversity and 

organizational performance. Research tells us that diverse teams are more creative, perform better 

in problem-solving, and result in better decision-making than homogeneous teams. Racial diversity 

yields higher performance when diverse perspectives are leveraged as resources for product 

development. Similarly, gender diversity results in more effective group processes in peopleoriented performance environments (Diversity Research Network, 2002). However, absent the 

facilitating conditions that integrate diverse perspectives in the organization, the aforementioned 

outcomes are reversed. This is the inclusion imperative. Simply put, diversity without inclusion 

will not work.

Recent studies have shown that legal mandates for EEO and the presence of diversity are necessary 

but not sufficient to effectively manage organizational diversity (Herring, 2009). Organizations 

must have conditions in place to ensure that diverse perspectives are heard and all contributors are 

empowered. To achieve, agencies must look internally at their organizational cultures and the 

institutional processes that impact employees’ ability to fully participate and contribute to the 

mission. This requires examining and eliminating systemic barriers to inclusion in all aspects of the 
100 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

organizations. The aim is to build an inclusive organization as characterized by equal access to 

opportunity, culturally competent norms, transparent communications, participatory work 

processes and decision-making, constructive conflict management, leadership development, 

equitable rewards systems, and shared accountability. These inclusion characteristics are drivers 

of employee engagement and organizational performance; inclusion holds the key to actualizing the 

performance potential of workforce diversity.

Implicit in all this is the notion that diversity goes beyond our race and gender, to include the 

diversity of thought that accompanies our human identity. It is the inextricable link between who 

we are and how we think that makes diversity such a potent ingredient in organizational 

performance. Viewed this way, the concept of inclusion galvanizes the field of EEO and diversity 

management by stressing inclusion of all employees, not only legally-protected classes. It in fact 

strengthens the commitment to equal opportunity by expanding its stakeholders to the entire 

workforce, not just segments of it. Inclusion transcends parochial interests, and therefore is 

championed by all.

We are proud to lead the effort to build diversity and cultivate inclusion in the VA and beyond. We 

do so in collaboration with all our partners and stakeholders under the guiding principles of being 

people centric, results driven, and forward looking to provide the best service to our Nation’s 

Veterans.

Georgia Coffey

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diversity and Inclusion
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 101

Organizational Acronyms

Center for Minority Veterans CMV

Center for Women Veterans CWV

Corporate Senior Executive Management Office CSEMO

National Cemetery Administration NCA

National Center for Organization Development NCOD

Office of Acquisitions, Logistics, and Construction OALC

Office of Diversity and Inclusion ODI

Office of Information Technology OIT

Office of Policy and Planning OPP

Office of Public Information and Affairs OPIA

Office of Resolution Management ORM

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization OSDBU

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VA

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC

U.S. Office of Personnel Management OPM

VA Learning University VALU

Veteran Employment Services Office VESO

Veterans Benefits Administration VBA

Veterans Health Administration VHA
102 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

The Current State of VA

To provide the context for this strategic plan, the following information presents a demographic 

analysis of the VA workforce (workforce diversity) and internal employee perceptions as revealed 

in organizational climate surveys (workplace inclusion), as of September 30, 2011. 

Workforce Diversity

At the end of fiscal year (FY) 2011, VA’s workforce totaled 315,116 employees, including 19,657 

temporary employees. The overall breakdown of the VA workforce in FY 2011 by race, ethnicity, 

and gender is depicted below:

VA’s FY 2011 Workforce

78,636

113,543

27,858

45,571

9,835

11,218 8,159

13,155

290

371

1,460 2,156 1,134

1,730

White Male

White Female

Black Male

Black Female

Hispanic Male

Hispanic Female

Asian Male

Asian Female

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Male

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

Female

American Indian Male

American Indian Female

Other Male

Other Female
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 103

EEOC requires that Federal agencies compare their workforce composition by race, ethnicity, and 

gender (REG) with corresponding groups in the Civilian Labor Force (CLF)4, and Relevant Civilian 

Labor Force (RCLF).

5 Currently, this data is based on the 2000 census. Compared to the RCLF, VA’s 

workforce is at, or above, RCLF representation in all areas except White males, and White and 

Hispanic females. For the purposes of this plan, we will focus on the barriers to groups with 

historically low participation rates. While White females have low participation rates when 

compared to the RCLF, they are the largest group in VA. The following graph depicts a comparison 

of the VA workforce with the RCLF for FY 2010 and FY 2011.

VA Workforce vs. RCLF (FY 2010 and FY 2011)

 4 CLF reflects all individuals 16 years of age and older employed or seeking employment in the United States, excluding 

the Armed Forces.

5 RCLF is the CLF in occupations specific to VA.

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

FY 2010 FY 2011 RCLF CLF

Less than expected representation
104 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

People with Targeted Disabilities

VA continues to increase its representation of employees with targeted disabilities. As of September 30, 

2011, people with targeted disabilities represented 1.65 percent of the VA workforce (temporary and 

permanent). Of the cabinet agencies, VA has the second highest ratio of this population. Beginning in 

FY 2009, VA reversed a decade long decline in the representation of people with targeted disabilities. 

For FY 2011, the Secretary’s two percent hiring goal for all of VA was nearly met, 1.90 percent of the 

total hires (permanent and temporary) have a targeted disability. An eleven year trend of the 

percentage of the VA workforce with a targeted disability is provided in the graph below. The 

government average for FY 2011 was not available at the time of this publication; the FY 2010 

government average is 0.91 percent.

People with a Targeted Disability (percentage of total workforce) FY 2000–2011

0.00%

0.50%

1.00%

1.50%

2.00%

2.50%

FY

2000

FY

2001

FY

2002

FY

2003

FY

2004

FY

2005

FY

2006

FY

2007

FY

2008

FY

2009

FY

2010

FY

2011

VA

Government Average

VA Goal
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 105

Senior Executive Representation

As of September 30, 2011, the Senior Executive Service (SES) and Title 38 SES Equivalent 

population was 456, an increase of 26 from September 30, 2010. The graph below provides the 

representation of the SES and Title 38 SES Equivalent population by race, ethnicity, and gender. In 

addition, the representation of the entire VA workforce is included in the graph for comparative 

purposes. Compared with the government average for SES, the representation of White and Black 

females in the SES and Title 38 Equivalent population are above the government average. Similarly, 

the representation of the Hispanic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander male SES population are 

above the government average.

SES and Title 38 SES Equivalent Representation in FY 2011

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

SES & Title 38 SES Equivalents VA Workforce Government Average (SES)
106 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Hires and Losses

The graph below provides the number of hires and losses (permanent and temporary workforce) 

data by REG. In FY 2011, VA hired individuals from each group at a rate equivalent or greater than 

their separations.

Hires and Losses by Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in FY 2011

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

Hires

Losses
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 107

Comparison of Separations, Hires, and On Board Representation Rates

The graph below provides the representation rate of the workforce as of September 30, 2011, and 

the losses and hires that occurred during FY 2011. White women and Hispanic women fell below 

their expected representation rate based on the RCLF. The hire rates for White and Hispanic 

women also fell below their respective rate in the RCLF. 

Separations, Hires, and On-Board Representation Rates in FY 2011

Workplace Inclusion

There are many ways of assessing workplace inclusion. One commonly accepted method is to 

examine employee perceptions based on their responses to inclusion-related items in employee 

surveys. 

The Partnership for Public Service summarized the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey results by 

creating various indexes using different combinations of survey items. The collective indexes make 

up the “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government.” This list ranks 308 total Federal 

organizations including 33 large agencies, 35 small agencies, and 240 subcomponent agencies.

White

Male

White

Female

Black

Male

Black

Female

Hispanic

Male

Hispanic

Female

Asian

Male

Asian

Female

Native

Hawaiia

n/Pacifi

c

Islander

Male

Native

Hawaiia

n/Pacifi

c

Islander

Female

Amer

Indian

Male

Amer

Indian

Female

Other

Male

Other

Female

Onboard 24.95% 36.03% 8.84% 14.46% 3.12% 3.56% 2.59% 4.17% 0.09% 0.12% 0.46% 0.68% 0.36% 0.55%

Hires 26.60% 36.43% 9.05% 12.62% 2.92% 2.70% 2.62% 4.11% 0.20% 0.20% 0.57% 0.68% 0.54% 0.77%

Separations 27.44% 38.83% 7.85% 11.52% 2.72% 2.95% 2.48% 3.74% 0.10% 0.16% 0.50% 0.73% 0.35% 0.62%

RCLF 25.13% 47.84% 3.13% 8.13% 3.11% 4.33% 2.39% 3.22% 0.03% 0.06% 0.31% 0.62% 0.34% 0.54%

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%
108 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

The following table portrays VA’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey results and VA’s ranking by 

the Partnership for Public Service for the past two years. From 2010 to 2011, VA experienced the 

highest increase in the survey items related to “Support for Diversity.”

The Best Places to Work Ranking – VA Scores for FY 2011 and 2010

Index 2011 2010 Variance

Score Rank Score Rank

Support for Diversity 56.7 20 of 31 52.9 23 of 28 3.8

Effective Leadership - Supervisors 60.1 27 of 30 56.5 27 of 28 3.6

Effective Leadership 52.3 22 of 30 49.7 23 of 28 2.6

Strategic Management 58.1 11 of 30 56 18 of 28 2.1

Work/Life Balance 56.8 23 of 30 54.7 26 of 28 2.1

Performance Based Rewards and Advancement 43.7 23 of 30 42.5 23 of 28 1.2

Teamwork 62.8 24 of 30 62.3 21 of 28 0.5

Training and Development 61.4 13 of 30 61.3 13 of 28 0.1

Pay 53.3 30 of 30 53.2 28 of 28 0.1

Effective Leadership - Fairness 53.7 15 of 30 No Data No Data 0

Effective Leadership - Leaders 47.3 21 of 30 No Data No Data 0

Effective Leadership - Empowerment 45.1 22 of 30 No Data No Data 0

Employee Skills/Mission Match 80.7 5 of 30 81.7 2 of 28 -1

Family Friendly Culture and Benefits 25.7 29 of 30 26.7 28 of 28 -1

Source: Partnership for Public Service retrieved on January 20, 2012 at http://bestplacestowork.org/BPTW/rankings.

Customer Service and Stakeholder Relations

VA currently gauges customer satisfaction by examining the results of customer surveys. The 

American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) provides information on the satisfaction of some VA 

customers. For example, the ACSI measures the satisfaction of outpatients at VA clinics, inpatients 

at VA medical centers, relatives of Veterans interned at VA national cemeteries, and users of VA’s 

main Web site and the My HealtheVet Web site. By those measures, VA customer satisfaction is 

fairly high, especially for the National Cemetery Administration.

American Customer Satisfaction Index Scores for Years 2007 to 2010

2007 2008 2009 2010

VHA: Inpatients at VA medical centers 83 85 N/A 85

VHA: Outpatients at VA clinics 83 81 N/A 82

VHA: Users of the Civilian Health and Medical Program 82 N/A 88 N/A

NCA: Relatives or individuals responsible for interment 95 N/A N/A 94

VA Web sites 72 72 73 72

Source: http://www.theacsi.org

Note: Cells marked not applicable (N/A) signify that the identified dimensions were not measured for that specific year. 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 109

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan

Overview

Mission

The mission of the VA diversity and inclusion program is to build a diverse workforce and cultivate 

an inclusive workplace to deliver the best services to our Nation’s Veterans, their families, and 

beneficiaries.

Vision

VA is a leader in creating and sustaining a high-performing workforce by leveraging diversity and 

empowering employees to achieve superior results in service to our Nation and its Veterans.

Values

VA’s diversity and inclusion program adheres to the Department’s core values of integrity, 

commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence (I CARE).

Goals

To fulfill the diversity and inclusion program’s mission and vision, VA will pursue the following 

goals:

1. A Diverse Workforce: Build a diverse, high-performing workforce that reflects all segments of society.

2. An Inclusive Workplace: Cultivate a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive work environment that 

leverages diversity and empowers all contributors.

3. Outstanding Public Service: Facilitate outstanding, culturally competent public service and 

stakeholder relations through effective leadership and accountability.

Implementation

The following pages identify the objectives, strategies, and measures designed to achieve the 

aforementioned goals. In cases where an organization has primary (but not exclusive) 

responsibility for the execution of a specific strategy, that organization has been identified in 

parentheses at the end of the strategy. In all other cases where there are joint or overlapping 

responsibilities, the responsible office may not be specifically identified. The VA Diversity and 

Inclusion Strategic Plan is intended to be a multi-year effort, and changing conditions, including 

budget constraints, may require refinement to the plan’s components. Implementation will be led 

by VA ODI, in partnership with VA’s three Administrations (VHA, VBA, NCA), and staff offices. 

Progress made pursuant to this plan will be reported annually in the VA Diversity and Inclusion 

Annual Performance Report.
110 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Goal 1: A Diverse Workforce

Build a diverse, high-performing workforce

that reflects all segments of society.

Federal agencies are required to take appropriate actions to ensure there is equal opportunity in 

the workplace by identifying and removing barriers to EEO. Actions include comparing the 

demographic composition of the workforce to the demographic composition of the relevant labor 

market, removing internal barriers, conducting strategic outreach to communities and utilizing 

special hiring authorities for members of groups with less than expected participation rates. 

Building a diverse, high-performing workforce will involve these established strategies as well as 

new, proactive strategies aimed at attracting broader, emerging aspects of our diversity.

Objective 1A: Eliminate barriers to EEO at all levels and in all occupations.

Strategies:

• Implement the VA Diversity Index6 to monitor the status of VA’s diversity and provide quarterly 

workforce diversity reports to leadership (ODI, VHA, VBA, NCA).

• Identify barriers to EEO by REG, disability status, Veteran status, in hiring, promotions, separations, and 

career development; and by grade levels and major occupations annually in accordance with EEOC

Management Directive 715 (ODI, VHA, VBA, NCA).

• Establish baseline metrics and a reporting system to enable VA offices to identify and eliminate any 

barriers present in the processes used to recruit or select Hispanic, White female, and people with 

disabilities (PWD) applicants for initial employment (VA-wide).

• Establish baseline metrics and a reporting system to enable VA offices to identify and eliminate any 

barriers present in the processes used to recruit or select White, Black, Asian, and American Indian 

females, and PWD for promotion (VA-wide).

• Establish baseline metrics and a reporting system to enable VA offices to identify and eliminate any 

barriers present in the processes used to recruit or select women, Black and Asian men (groups with less 

than expected SES participation) for appointment to the Senior Executive Service (VA-wide).

• Perform applicant flow/adverse impact analyses in recruitment and leadership selection processes 

(ODI).

• Implement EEO, Diversity and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) dashboard to provide real time 

status of EEO, workforce diversity and ADR usage (ORM, ODI).

• Utilize staffing flexibilities and special hiring authorities (e.g., Veterans, Schedule A for people with 

disabilities, student internships, fellowships); use ODI’s Recruitment and Selection Best Practices Guide

(http://www.diversity.va.gov/products/files/RSG.pdf) (VA-wide).

• Develop strategic partnerships with affinity organizations, professional associations, and educational 

institutions focused on groups with low participation rates to perform recruitment outreach (VA-wide).

• Establish hiring and on-board goals for people with targeted disabilities (VA-wide).

 6 The VA Diversity Index is a new metric developed by VA ODI that measures VA’s aggregate workforce composition by 

race, ethnicity, and gender as compared with the corresponding CLF/RCLF.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 111

Measures:

• Report VA Diversity Index in quarterly workforce diversity reports and in Monthly Performance Review 

beginning in FY 2012 (NOTE: this Index is intended for use as an indicator of program impact and 

overall progress, not as a target metric).

• Deliver timely, accurate quarterly workforce diversity analysis reports to leadership and annual reports 

to external agencies (EEOC Management Directive 715 Report; diversity reports to OPM) as appropriate.

• Implement applicant flow/adverse impact analysis system by end of FY 2014 and increase 

representation of groups with low participation rates in recruitment and leadership development 

applicant pools.

• Implement EEO, Diversity and Alternative Dispute Resolution dashboard by end of FY 2013.

• Participate in a minimum of six national/local job fairs or events targeting outreach to groups with low 

participation rates.7

• Increase on-board representation of employees with targeted disabilities to 2.5 percent by end of FY 

2016.

Objective 1B: Achieve diversity in the broadest context throughout the workforce.

Strategies:

• Implement diversity-focused internship and fellowship programs, including centralized Workforce 

Recruitment Program (WRP), centralized National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP), and Career 

Pathways Programs (ODI, OHRM).

• Work with VESO, CWV, and CMV to ensure that employment outreach programs target disabled, female, 

minority, and multigenerational Veterans and spouses of Veterans (VA-wide).

Measures:

• Sponsor 20 WRP interns and 100 NDIP interns annually, budget permitting.

• Increase on-board representation of Veterans to 40 percent of the workforce by end of FY 2014.

• Increase participation in Veteran outreach events targeting demographic groups with low participation 

rates.

 7 Six outreach events by ODI and per Administration.
112 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Goal 2: An Inclusive Workplace

Cultivate a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive work environment

that leverages diversity and empowers all contributors.

In order to reap the benefits of workforce diversity, work environments must maintain the 

facilitating conditions that enable diverse perspectives to be heard and empower all participants to 

contribute. This requires deliberate efforts by leadership to provide flexibility with respect to

where, when, and how work gets done; promote robust collaboration through teamwork, 

participatory work processes, and cross-functional work experiences; and engage all employees 

through cultural competency, leadership development, reasonable accommodation, and 

constructive conflict management. These are more than retention strategies; they are strategies 

that engage and develop our human resources to their fullest potential so that they may advance 

the VA mission.

Objective 2A: Leverage workforce diversity and empower diverse perspectives throughout the 

organization through career/leadership development.

Strategies:

• Develop workforce succession plans addressing barriers to EEO and diversity; analyze attrition by REG 

(VA-wide).

• Incorporate diversity and inclusion in the curricula of all leadership development programs (ODI, VALU, 

CSEMO, VHA, VBA, NCA).

• Aggressively market broad as well as targeted outreach for leadership development and mentoring

programs (Aspiring Leaders, Leadership VA, SES Candidate Development Program, Technical Career 

Field programs) (VA-wide).

• Perform adverse impact analyses of leadership development application and selection processes (ODI).

• Promote and utilize ADVANCE and MyCareer@VA (career mapping system) to facilitate career 

development and upward mobility (VA-wide).

• Track training and development participation rates by REG in VA Talent Management System (TMS) 

(VALU, OHRM, ODI).

• Support for broad participation in inter-office/inter-agency details and rotations including Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program (VA-wide).

Measures

• Reduce “regrettable losses” (non-retirement voluntary separations/resignations) by 10 percent of 

current baseline for groups with higher than expected attrition rates by end of FY 2016.

• Increase diversity in leadership development and mentoring program applicant pools.

• Develop the ability to track training and development participation rates by REG and disability status in 

TMS by end of FY 2013.

Objective 2B: Cultivate a flexible, collaborative, and inclusive organizational culture for all 

employees.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 113

Strategies:

• Implement VA Inclusion Index8 to measure organizational inclusion (ODI).

• Employ ORM’s Organizational Climate Assessment Programs (OCAP) in organizations experiencing high 

workplace conflict/per capita complaints (ORM).

• Employ Civility, Respect, and Engagement in the Workplace (CREW) initiatives in organizations 

experiencing high workplace conflict/per capita complaints (VA-wide).

• Analyze the results of VA’s All Employee Survey and Voice of VA survey and implement corrective 

strategies as appropriate (VA-wide).

• Conduct EEO program technical assistance reviews in headquarters and field organizations (ODI, VHA, 

VBA, NCA).

• Support special emphasis programs (SEPs), employee affinity and resource groups, and expand these 

groups to represent new, emerging aspects of diversity (multigenerational; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and 

Transgender [LGBT]; etc.) (VA-wide).

• Modify existing electronic employee exit survey to include questions focused on diversity and inclusion 

issues (OHRM, ODI).

• Implement work/life flexibilities (wellness, telework, flexible work schedules) as appropriate (VA-wide).

• Support and participate in ADR processes and promote effective labor/management collaborations (VAwide).

• Implement and promote use of centralized reasonable accommodation funding and tracking system

(ODI).

• Ensure compliance with Sections 501, 504, and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, by 

monitoring accessibility of program delivery, physical infrastructure, and electronic/information 

technology (EIT) (OIT, ODI, VHA, VBA, NCA).

Measures:

• Implement VA Inclusion Index by end of FY 2013 and determine baseline to inform future goal-setting.

• Implement responsive action plans in accordance with the employee survey results annually.

• Enhance standardized electronic employee exit survey to include questions on diversity and inclusion by 

end of FY 2014.

• Increase work/life initiatives and telework usage for suitable positions by 10 percent above current 

baseline by end of FY 2016.

• Increase overall ADR participation rate to 55 percent and resolution rate of informal EEO complaint rate 

to 50 percent by end of FY 2014.

• Reduce per capita formal EEO complaints to below the government average by end of FY 2016.

• Reduce per capita grievances by five percent below current baseline by end of FY 2016.

• Increase usage of wellness and telework programs by five percent above current baseline by end of FY 

2014.

• Conduct a minimum of six technical assistance reviews annually.

• Process 90 percent of reasonable accommodation requests in accordance with established timelines by 

end of FY 2016.

• Perform compliance review of physical, EIT, and program accessibility standards in VA Administrations 

in collaboration with the Office of Information and Technology and Office of Acquisitions, Logistics, and 

Construction by end of FY 2016.

 8 The VA Inclusion Index is a new metric developed by ODI to measure organizational inclusion based on employee 

responses to empirically-validated survey items related to inclusion in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.
114 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Goal 3: Outstanding Public Service

Facilitate outstanding, culturally competent public service and

stakeholder relations through effective leadership and accountability.

Research has shown that a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace are associated with greater 

organizational performance. The ultimate goal of having a diverse workforce and an inclusive work 

environment is to deliver better services to our customers (internal and external) and meet the 

needs of our stakeholders. The transformation of an organization’s culture to this end requires a 

long-term commitment. Effective leadership and accountability are critical to sustaining this 

organization-wide commitment. The following strategies and objectives are aimed at facilitating 

and sustaining the effort to achieve the ultimate goal. 

Objectives 3A: Provide outstanding, culturally competent services to Veterans, their families, and 

beneficiaries.

Strategies:

• Deliver cultural competency, diversity and inclusion training to the VA workforce (ODI, VALU).

• Support implementation of patient-centered care (VHA).

• Promote use of Small, Disadvantaged, Veteran-owned businesses (OSDBU).

• Monitor customer service surveys and indicators and take action as appropriate (Staff Offices, VHA, VBA, 

NCA).

• Target outreach to Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, American Indian, and other indigenous/rural 

populations that historically do not avail themselves of VA services (VA-wide).

Measures:

• Establish baseline of employees completing cultural competency/diversity and inclusion training 

utilizing TMS by end of FY 2014.

• Increase VA scores that fall below industry standards on customer satisfaction index in all populations 

by end of FY 2014.

• Increase timeliness in approval/certification of Veteran-owned businesses annually.

• Meet or exceed OSDBU socioeconomic procurement goals annually.

• Increase culturally competent services to Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native, American Indian, and other 

indigenous/rural populations. 

Objectives 3B: Strengthen relations with stakeholders.

Strategies:

• Leverage, support, and coordinate with internal and external VA stakeholders, including but not limited 

to the following:

• American Indian Science and Engineering Society

• Asian American Government Executive Network

• Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies 

• Blacks in Government
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 115

• Center for Minority Veterans 

• Center for Women Veterans

• Department of Defense’s Computer Assistance Program

• Department of Health and Human Services

• Department of Labor’s Workforce Recruitment Program

• Disabled American Veterans

• Disabled Veterans National Foundation

• Federal Asian Pacific American Council

• Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees Organization

• Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities

• Hispanic Serving Health Professional schools

• Human Rights Campaign

• International Association of Latino Public Administration Executives

• International Leadership Foundation

• League of United Latin American Citizens

• Minority Access

• National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education

• National Coalition for LGBT Health

• Office of Faith-based Initiatives

• Office of Health Equity

• Office of Rural Health 

• Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

• Office of Tribal Government Relations

• Organization of Chinese Americans

• Paralyzed Veterans of America

• State Cemetery Grant Program

• The Washington Center

• VA Advisory committees

• Veteran Service Organizations

• Washington Internships for Native Students

• White House Initiatives on Diversity Issues (Women and Girls, Asian American Pacific Islander, etc.)

Measures:

• Increase participation in national/local outreach and partnership events involving stakeholder/affinity 

organizations to ten, budget permitting, by end of FY 2014

• Meet or exceed OSDBU goals in contracting activity annually.

Objectives 3C: Equip leaders with diversity and inclusion knowledge and skills to effectively lead 

their workforce.

Strategies:

• Implement updated mandatory EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, and Conflict Management Training for all 

Senior Executives, Managers, and Supervisors (ODI, ORM, VALU).

• Implement and monitor mandatory EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, ADR performance standards in all 

leadership (SES and Title 38 equivalents) and supervisory performance plans (ORM, ODI, CSEMO, 

OHRM).
116 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Measures:

• Implement updated mandatory EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, and Conflict Management Training for 

Senior Executives by end of FY 2013.

• Implement Executive Dashboard reporting EEO, diversity and inclusion, ADR performance metrics by 

end of FY 2014.

• Achieve 95 percent timely completion rate on biennial mandatory EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, and 

Conflict Management Training for all managers and supervisors.

• Increase overall ADR participation rate to 55 percent and resolution rate of informal EEO complaint rate 

to 50 percent by end of FY 2014.

Objective 3D: Institutionalize shared accountability for a culture of diversity and inclusion.

Strategies:

• Issue a VA Diversity and Inclusion Annual Performance Report reporting progress made on the VA 

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (ODI).

• Issue annual VA-wide diversity and inclusion policy directives and statements issued by the VA 

Secretary (ODI).

• Implement standardized VA-wide diversity and inclusion performance elements and standards in all 

employee performance plans (ORM, ODI, CSEMO, OHRM).

• Provide EEO, diversity and inclusion, and conflict management training for all employees (ODI, ORM, 

VALU).

• Maintain VA Diversity Council, comprising representatives from all VA components, reporting to the 

Secretary of VA (ODI).

• Promote participation in Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards Program and in the 

Secretary’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Excellence Awards Program (ODI, ORM, VHA, VBA, NCA).

• Incorporate broad-based diversity and inclusion content in agency branding and communication 

strategies (media outreach, public awards, various communications tools and vehicles, strategic 

communications, Web sites) (ODI, OPIA, OHRM).

Measures:

• Issue timely and accurate VA Diversity and Inclusion Annual Performance Report reporting progress made 

on VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

• Implement on-line EEO, diversity, and ADR dashboard to report subject metrics, including VA Diversity 

and Inclusion Indices, to VA leadership, by end of FY 2014.

• Update VA Directive 5975 (EEO and diversity management) and 5975.1 (reasonable accommodation) by 

end of FY 2013.

• Issue timely annual EEO and diversity policy statements by the VA Secretary.

• Implement standardized VA-wide diversity and inclusion performance elements and standards in all 

employee performance plans by end of FY 2014.

• Increase nominations for Secretary’s Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Awards Program and the 

Secretary’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Excellence Awards Program.

• Increase dissemination and readership of the Diversity@Work newsletter, NewsLink, Diversity News 

broadcasts, and other diversity and inclusion communications annually.

• Maintain updated content on the VA diversity and inclusion Web site (http://www.diversity.va.gov) 

annually.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 117

Applicable Laws

(not exhaustive)

• Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended – prohibits employment discrimination based on race, 

color, religion, sex, national origin; the law also makes it illegal to retaliate against an individual because 

he/she complained about discrimination, filed a complaint, or participated in an employment 

discrimination investigation or lawsuit;

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended – prohibits employment discrimination 

against individuals 40 years of age or older;

• Equal Pay Act of 1963, as amended – prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in compensation for 

substantially equal work performed under similar working conditions;

• Sections 501, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended – prohibits employment 

discrimination and reprisal against people with disabilities in the Federal government or applicants for 

Federal employment; Section 501 requires reasonable accommodation for known disabilities; Section 

504 requires that all Federal programs be accessible; and Section 508 requires that all electronic 

technology be accessible;

• Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act of 2008 – prohibits employment discrimination based on 

genetic information;

• Title V, United States Code Section 2301 – provides that recruitment should be from qualified 

individuals from appropriate sources from all segments of society; selection and advancement should 

be determined solely on the basis of merit, after fair and open competition so that that all receive equal 

opportunity; and fair and equitable treatment in all aspects of personnel management without regard 

to political affiliation, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or handicapping 

condition, and with proper regard for their privacy and constitutional rights;

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, Title 1, and ADA Amendments Act of 2008 – revises the 

definition of “disability” to more broadly encompass impairments that substantially limit a major life 

activity. The amended language also states that mitigating measures, including assistive devices, 

auxiliary aids, accommodations, medical therapies and supplies (other than eyeglasses and contact 

lenses) have no bearing in determining whether a disability qualifies under the law. Changes also 

clarify coverage of impairments that are episodic or in remission that substantially limit a major life 

activity when active, such as epilepsy or post traumatic stress disorder. The amendments took effect 

January 1, 2009.
118 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Merit System Principles

(5 USC § 2301)

1. Recruitment should be from qualified individuals from appropriate sources in an endeavor to 

achieve a work force from all segments of society, and selection and advancement should be 

determined solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge and skills, after fair and open 

competition which assures that all receive equal opportunity. 

2. All employees and applicants for employment should receive fair and equitable treatment in all 

aspects of personnel management without regard to political affiliation, race, color, religion, national 

origin, sex, marital status, age, or handicapping condition, and with proper regard for their privacy 

and constitutional rights. 

3. Equal pay should be provided for work of equal value, with appropriate consideration of both 

national and local rates paid by employers in the private sector, and appropriate incentives and 

recognition should be provided for excellence in performance. 

4. All employees should maintain high standards of integrity, conduct, and concern for the public 

interest. 

5. The Federal work force should be used efficiently and effectively. 

6. Employees should be retained on the basis of adequacy of their performance, inadequate 

performance should be corrected, and employees should be separated who cannot or will not 

improve their performance to meet required standards. 

7. Employees should be provided effective education and training in cases in which such education and 

training would result in better organizational and individual performance. 

8. Employees should be--

a. protected against arbitrary action, personal favoritism, or coercion for partisan political 

purposes, and 

b. prohibited from using their official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with 

or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for election. 

9. Employees should be protected against reprisal for the lawful disclosure of information which the 

employees reasonably believe evidences--

a. a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or 

b. mismanagement, a gross waste of funds, an absence of authority, or a substantial and specific 

danger to public health or safety.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 119

For more information,

please contact:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of Diversity and Inclusion (06)

810 Vermont Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20420

Phone: (202) 461-4131

Fax: (202) 501-2145

odi@va.gov

http://www.diversity.va.gov
120 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

VA EEO, Diversity & Inclusion, No FEAR, and Whistleblower Protection Policy Statement
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 121

THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON

April 20, 2015

TO ALL EMPLOYEES

SUBJECT: The Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion, No FEAR, and 

Whistleblower Rights and Protection Policy Statement

As Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), I am committed to

providing our Veterans the world-class benefits and services they have earned.

Accordingly, it is critical that all of us at VA reaffirm our commitment to our Mission and

our Core Values – Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence. Our

commitment to serving our Veterans must be steadfast and unwavering. Likewise, our

commitment and obligation to proactively prevent unlawful discrimination, harassment,

and reprisal must be clear, convincing, comprehensive, and consistent. As such, I am

committed to a VA workforce that draws from all segments of American society and that

ensures every VA employee has the opportunity and access to fully contribute to VA's

important mission of serving our Nation's Veterans.

This Policy Statement reaffirms our commitment to a fair, equitable, and open work

environment, and guides us in promoting healthy relationships with a diverse, cooperative,

supportive, and engaged workforce. I believe each of us must adhere to the highest

standards of accountability, commitment, compassion, professionalism, and stewardship. 

To that end, we must all champion the principles of MyVA as a means of orienting our

workforce to being employee-led and Veteran-centric. We all have a responsibility to

contribute to the well-being of our Nation's Veterans by promoting and sustaining the

Department's mission and vision.

Executives, managers, and supervisors bear a unique responsibility to comply with

and ensure the policies and processes outlined in the attached Policy Statement are

given the widest dissemination and fullest measure of execution and implementation.

Thank you for your commitment, dedication and hard work to this noble cause.

Robert A. McDonald

Attachment
122 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

DepartmentofVeterans Affairs

Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion, No FEAR, and

Whistleblower Rights and Protection Policy Statement

VA is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), promoting

workforce diversity, workplace inclusion, and constructively resolving conflict to

maintain a high-performing organization inservice to our Nation's Veterans. VA will

vigorously enforce all applicable Federal EEO laws, executive orders, and management

directives to ensure equal opportunity inthe workplace for all VA employees. This

document summarizes VA's EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, Notification and Federal

Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act (No FEAR), and Whistleblower Rights

and Protection policies.

EEOand ProhibitedDiscrimination

VA does not tolerate unlawful discrimination, including workplace harassment,

based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity,

transgender status, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age (40 or older), disability,

genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or retaliation for

opposing discriminatory practices or participating in the discrimination-complaint

process. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment,

hiring, promotions, transfers, reassignments, training, career development, benefits,

and separation.

Employees and applicants for employment seeking redress under the EEO

complaint process must contact an EEO counselor in person, by phone, or inwriting

within 45 calendar days of the date of the alleged discrimination. VA's Office of

Resolution Management (ORM) is responsible for administering an impartial and

effective complaints management process to receive, investigate, and resolve, if

possible, complaints of employment discrimination at the earliest possible stage. The

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations governing the Federal

EEO complaint process are found in29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1614.

Employees may report allegations of discrimination to ORM at (888) 737-3361.

Employees may also raise allegations of discrimination to their supervisor or a

management official in their chain of command, or they may raise discrimination issues

through the VA Negotiated Process, Administrative Grievance Process or the U.S. Merit

Systems Protection Board (MSPB) as appropriate. While an allegation of discrimination

may be raised through these additional avenues, this action does not constitute initiation

of an EEO complaint with an EEO counselor through the Federal sector EEO complaint

process, and it does not extend the 45 calendar-day time limit to initiate an EEO

complaint with ORM.

Complaints of discrimination filed on the basis of marital status or political 

affiliation may be investigated as prohibited personnel practices and are processed

under the jurisdiction of the MSPB or the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 123

Complaints filed on the basis of parental status may be processed through ORM. While

parental status is not covered under the EEOC regulations, it is also a form of prohibited

discrimination involving Federal employees. If a complaint is filed on this basis, it will

be processed by ORM and a final agency decision will be rendered by the Office of

Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication (OEDCA).

ProhibitedWorkplace Harassment Covered byEEOLaws

Harassment by or against VA employees, applicants, contract employees,

clients, customers, and anyone doing business with VA is strictly prohibited.

Harassment becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a

term or condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive

enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider

intimidating, hostile, or abusive. Harassment is considered unlawful conduct that is

based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity,

transgender status, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age (40 or older), disability,

genetic information, marital status, parental status, political affiliation, or retaliation for

opposing discriminatory practices or participating in the discrimination-complaint

process.

Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that violates Title VII of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADA), and

the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Anti-discrimination laws also prohibit

harassment against individuals in retaliation for filing a discrimination charge, testifying,

or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding, or lawsuit under these laws;

or opposing employment practices that they reasonably believe discriminate against

individuals, in violation of these laws.

Sexual harassment is a form of workplace harassment that is prohibited and will

not be tolerated in VA. Compared to other forms of workplace harassment, it involves

unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical

conduct of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to or rejection of such conduct is made

either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of one's employment;

(2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career

or employment decisions affecting that person; or (3) such conduct interferes with an

individual's performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work

environment.

Sexual harassment or workplace harassment extends to harassing comments

posted on social media, such as Internet sites. It is the duty of an employer to protect

its employees from unlawful harassment, if there is a nexus with the workplace. This

duty is unaffected by the location where harassment occurs, on or off the worksite,

including in cyberspace. The duty remains the same--supervisors must intervene and

take prompt and effective corrective action to end the harassment.
124 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Supervisors who receive or become aware of allegations of harassment must

contact their designated Anti-harassment Officer or the Anti-harassment Office located

within ORM for appropriate guidance. Allegations of discrimination and harassment will

betaken seriouslyandappropriatecorrective action-uptoandincludingterminationwillbetaken,ifallegationsaresubstantiated. Supervisorswhoreceivecomplaintsor

becomeawareofworkplaceharassmentintheorganizationshouldcontactORMfor

further guidance,andalso reportthe statustoVA's OfficeofAccountabilityandReview.

Conflict Management andAlternative DisputeResolution

Workplace conflict is often the result of miscommunication or creative

tension in the organization. Properly managed, it can yield improvements in

business processes and positiveoutcomes intheorganizational climate. Itis

importantwemaintainanorganizational cultureinVAthat doesnotsuppress

creative conflictorconstructivedissent. Tomaintainarespectful,productive,and

effectivework environment, it isVA's policyto address and resolveworkplace

disputes andEEO complaintsattheearliestpossiblestage. VAoffersAlternative

DisputeResolution (ADR) services such as mediation, facilitation, and conflict

management coaching to assist partiesinconstructively resolvingdisputes. ADR

involves a neutralthirdparty workingwiththeemployee,supervisor, orgroupto

engageinconstructive communication, identify issues, and develop collaborative

solutions. Employees and supervisorsareencouragedtoconsulttheirADR

programmanagerorwithVA's WorkplaceADRProgramforguidanceand

assistanceinresolvingworkplacedisputes of any kind.

ProhibitedWorkplace Violence andBullying

Workplace violence, the threat of violence, or bullying of workers are strictly

prohibited. This type of prohibited behavior can occur at or outside the workplace and

can range from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults. "Bullying" conduct

constitutes fighting, hate messages, threats, and intention to inflict harm, or abusive,

offensive, unprofessional, intimidating, slanderous, malicious, derogatory, or otherwise

inappropriate or unacceptable language intended to degrade or humiliate a particular

person or group of people. Bullying and workplace violence are violations of VA's policy

and will not be tolerated. Any employee who is subject to bullying behavior or potential

workplace violence should immediately report the matter to his or her supervisor or 

another appropriate official. It is the duty of the supervisors to intervene and take prompt

and effective corrective action to end the bullying conduct to prevent workplace violence,

and to report the status to VA's Office of Accountability and Review.

VA's Office of Occupational Safety and Health under the Office of Administration

is responsible for providing oversight of VA's Occupational Safety and Health and

Workers' Compensation programs insupport of VA's Designated Agency Safety and

Health Official. Violence in the workplace is an occupational safety hazard citable under

Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards and

under VA Directive 7700. Under Secretaries, Assistant Secretaries, and other Key 
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 125

Officialsarerequiredtoimplementaviolencepreventionprogram.

Prohibited Personnel Practices

The CivilService Reform Act of 1978, as amended, protects Federal

Government applicants and employees from "Prohibited Personnel Practices (PPP)"

including discrimination, coercion, intimidation, preferential treatment, and other

prohibited practices inviolation of merit systems principles. ProhibitedPersonnel

Practices are employment-related activities that are banned inthe Federal workforce

because they violate the merit system through some form of employment

discrimination, retaliation, improper hiring practices, or failure to adhere to laws, rules,

or regulations that directly concern the merit system principles. OSC is authorized to

investigate and ensure that appropriate action is taken to correct prohibited conduct. 

Injured persons may bring actions before the MSPB, if OSC declines to act.

OSC has the authority to investigate and prosecute violations of the 13 PPPs.

The 13PPPs are: Discrimination, Considering Inappropriate Recommendations,

Coercing Political Activity, Obstructing Competition, Influencing Withdrawal from 

Competition, Granting Unfair Advantage, Nepotism, Whistleblower Retaliation, Other

Retaliation, Other Discrimination, Violating Veterans Preference, Violating Rules that

Implement a Merit System Principle, and Imposing Nondisclosure Agreement that

Doesn't Allow Whistleblowing. For more information visit: 

https://osc.gov/Pages/PPP.aspx.

No FEARAct

Itis imperativethat allVAemployees, supervisors, andofficialsunderstand

the protections afforded by the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination

and Retaliation(No FEAR)Act andtheWhistleblower ProtectionAct. The No FEAR

Act of 2002protectsFederalemployeesfromunlawfuldiscriminationandretaliation

for opposition to or participation in protected EEO and whistleblowing activity. VA

will not tolerate discrimination or retaliation for engaging in protected EEO activity.

Whistleblower Rights and Protection

The Whistleblower Protection Act prohibits retaliation against public employees

· or applicants for employment for reporting a violation of law, rule, or regulation;

gross mismanagement; gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial

and special danger to public health or safety. Retaliation against individuals for

·whistleblowing, opposing discrimination, or participating in the discriminationcomplaint process is unlawful and will not be tolerated. This includes complainants,

witnesses, and others who provide information concerning such claims.

TheWhistleblowerProtectionEnhancementActof2012amendedthelaw

regarding whistleblowers' rights by: (1) making a whistleblower’s oral disclosures

legally sufficient; no longer must a disclosure be in writing; (2) making disclosures that
126 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

fall within the whistleblower's job duties an eligible basis of a whistleblower claim;

(3) strengthening anti-retaliation restrictions; (4) allowing damages that could be

· obtained by a whistleblower to include consequential damages such as emotional

distress; and (5) establishing a 2-year trial period for these provisions. Avenues of

redress available to address claims of reprisal for whistleblowing include local

Congressional representatives, the MSPB, and the OSC. VA will not tolerate violations

of the spirit or letter of these Federal statutes.

Every VA employee is responsible for safeguarding the privacy of Veterans

and other individuals served by VA and for complying with laws that protect patient

health information and other sensitive personal information. Be advised that a

whistleblower disclosure of information is protected only if the release is specifically

permitted by all applicable confidentiality provisions. Wrongful disclosure of sensitive

personal information, such as medical or personnel records, may be subject to civil

and criminal penalties as well as disciplinary or other adverse action. For additional

information visit ODI web site at http://www.diversity.va.gov/whistleblower.aspx .

Reasonable Accommodations

VA is committed to the employment and retention of individuals with

disabilities. All Federal employees and members of the public with disabilities must

have access to and use of information and data, comparable to that of employees

and members of the general public without disabilities, unless an undue hardship

would be imposed on the agency. To that end, VA will vigorously enforce Sections

501, 504, 505, and 508 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended; which mirror the Americans with Disabilities Act

· (ADA) of 1990 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008. This

includes maintaining accessibility of electronic and information technology to individuals

with disabilities.

Title I (Employment) of the Americans with Disabilities Act is designed to help

people with disabilities access the same employment opportunities and benefits

available to people without disabilities. An important component in hiring and

retaining individuals withdisabilities istheprovisionofreasonableaccommodationsto

employees and applicants on the basis of disability in accordance with law. For

individuals with disabilities, a reasonable accommodation is any change inthe work

environment or in themannerwork isaccomplishedthat enablesthemto performthe

essentialfunctions

Of their jobs and enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment.

Reasonable accommodations may. Also include the use of properly trained

service animals. A doctor's note does not turn an animal into a service animal. A

service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks

for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory,

psychiatric, intellectual,orother mental disability. The work ortask performed by a

service animal must bedirectly relatedto the individual's disability. Emotional support
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 127

animals, comfort animals, and therapy animals are not service animals underTitle Ill

of theADA. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained,

are not considered service animals either.

The procedures for requesting and processing requests for reasonable

accommodation are contained inVA Handbook 5975.1. VA also has an established

Centralized Fund used to reimburse VA Facilities and Staff Offices with costs

associated with providing reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants

with disabilities. Individuals interested in additional information should contact the VA's

Office of Diversity and Inclusion or visit: http://www.diversity.va.gov/policy/dra.aspx.

Additionally, Title Ill(Public Accommodations) of the ADA makes it clear that

service animals are allowed in public facilities and accommodations. A service animal

must be allowed to accompany the handler to any place in the building or facility where

members of the public, program participants, customers, or clients are allowed. Even if

the business or public program has a "no pets" policy, it may not deny entry to a person

with a service animal.

Religious Accommodation

In accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, VA also provides

religious accommodations to employees unless doing so imposes an undue hardship

to the organization. Accommodations may include adjustments to work schedules to

accommodate religious observances, allowances regarding religious attire, allowances

· to be excused from compulsory activities that conflict with the employees sincerely

held religious beliefs or practices, and other modifications. Individuals who believe

they need a religious accommodation should request the accommodation from their

immediate supervisors.

Religious expression and exercise are permitted in the VA workplace provided

that such expression does not suggest government endorsement or preference for one

faith over another, interfere with efficient working of government VA operations, nor

intrude upon the legitimate rights of other employees. For additional information on

Guidance on Religious Exercise and Expression inVA Facilities and Property Under the

Charge and Control of VA visit: http://www.diversity.va.gov/policy/files/reli-expmemo.pdf

Language Usage

VA recognizes and respects the right of employees who speak languages other

than English in the workplace, outside of the performance of their work duties.

Employees may speak another language when the conversation is not related to the

performance of their duties; for example, when they are inthe break room or making

a personal telephone call. Circumstances inwhich an English-only rule may be justified

include: Communications with customers or coworkers who speak English only;

emergencies or other situations in which workers must speak a common language to
128 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

promote safety; or cooperative work assignments inwhich the English-only is needed to 

promote efficiency. Even if there is a need for an English-only rule, supervisors may

not take disciplinary action against employees for violating the rule unless VA notified

workers about the rule and the consequences of violating it.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has stated that rules requiring

employees to speak English only in the workplace violate the law unless they are 

reasonably necessary to the operation of the business. A rule requiring employees to

speak English only in the workplace at all times, including breaks and lunch time, should

be limited to the circumstances in which it is needed for the employer to operate safely

or efficiently.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994

An employee has the right to be reemployed in his or her civilian job, if he or she

leaves a civilian job to perform service in the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard,

or other "uniformed services" as defined by the Uniformed Services Employment and

Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA ensures that persons who serve or

have served in the uniformed services: (1) are not disadvantaged in their civilian

careers because of their services in the uniformed service; (2) are promptly reemployed 

in their civilian jobs upon their return from duty; and (3) are not discriminated against in

employment based on past, present, or future military service. Individuals interested in

more information should visit: http://www.osc..gov/outreach.htm.

Mandatory EEO and Diversity&InclusionTraining

In order to sustain the fair, safe, and high performing culture these policies seek

to create, VA employees must engage in continuous learning inthese areas. VA is

committed to educating its workforce on its EEO-related policies and workforce

protections on a regular basis to maintain a discrimination-free workplace. Accordingly,

VA requires that all employees take mandatory Prevention of Workplace Harassment

Awareness and No FEAR Act training in the Talent Management System (TMS Item No.

8872) within 90 days of their initial hire and every two years thereafter.

Additionally, all executives, managers and supervisors are required to take 

biennial training on EEO, Diversity & Inclusion, and Conflict Management Training (TMS

Item No. 1328672), and training on Whistleblower Rights and Protection and Prohibited 

Personnel Practices (TMS Item No. 3883649). All courses are available online at the

following link:https://www.tms.va.gov/learning/user/deeplink_redirect.jsp.
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 129

Diversity and Inclusion

· . To be a high performing organization, VA must cultivate an inclusive work

culture and create an environment that reflects the rich diversity of our increasingly

global community. Organizational inclusion involves leveraging the diversity of our

workforce and empowering alt of our employees to be fully engaged and to

contribute to VA's noble mission. Studies have shown that workplace inclusion

drives employee engagement which yields higher organizational performance. To

achieve full inclusion, we must also protect all voices and nurture a climate of

psychological safety for allour human resources. Together, the principles of

diversity and inclusion provide the cornerstones on which to build a high

performing organization. They are more than legal or social imperatives in the 21st

century; they are business imperatives essential to providing the effective and

responsive public services.

We all share the responsibility to promote and embed the complementary

principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout VA, and embody VA's code

values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence. I ask everyVA

employee to embrace these principles and values so that we can provide the best

possible care and services to our Nation's Veterans and theirfamilies.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs
130 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

REFERENCES

FEDERAL EEO LAWS

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967:

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adea.cfm ·

Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, as amended:

. Prohibited discrimination on the basis of age in programs or activities receiving federal

financial assistance

http://www .dol.gov/oasam/regs/statutes/age_act.htm

Americans with DisabilitiesAmendments Act of

2008:http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adaaa.cfm

CivilService ReformAct of 1978(CSRA)-ProhibitedPersonnel Practices:

http://archive.opm.gov/oversight/proidx.asp

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act:

http://www .eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/gina.cfm

Equal Pay Act of 1963as amended: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/epa.cfm

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/111/s181

Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (No

FEAR):

http://www.opm.gov/information-management/no-fear-act/

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978: 

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/pregnancy.cfm

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended:http://www.eeoc. gov/laws/statutes/reha .cfm

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/titlevii.¢fm

The Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act of 2012:

http://www .gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112s743enr/pdf/BILLS-112s743enr.pdf

Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994:

http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-userra.htm
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 131

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

Executive Order 13583, Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to

Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/08/18/executive-order-establishingcoordinated-government-wide-initiative-prom

· Executive Order 11478, as amended by Executive Order 13152:

Extending protection based on parental status

http://clinton4.nara.gov/WH/EOP/First_Lady/html/teens/order1.html

Executive Order 13548, Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals With Disabilities:

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-07-30/pdf/2010-18988.pdf

DIRECTIVES

Alternative Dispute Resolution, VA Directive 5978, February 7, 2013:

http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=643&FType=2

EEO Discrimination Complaints Process, VA Directive 5977, May 5, 2011:

http://www.va.gov/vapubs/search_action.cfm?dType=1

Diversity and Inclusion, Management Directive VA Directive 5975, March 29, 2013:

, http://www.va.gov/vapubs/search_action.cfm?dType=1

·VA Handbook 5975.1,Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation by

Employees and Applicants with Disabilities:

http://www.va.gov/vapubs/search_action.cfm?dType=1

· Occupational Safety and Health, VA Directive 7700, February 11,2009: 1

http://www1.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=428&FType=2

GUIDANCE

Guidance on Religious Exercise and Expression in VA Facilities and Property Under the

Charge and Control of VA: http://www.diversity.va.gov/policy/files/reli-exp-memo.pdf

White House Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal

Workplace: http://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/New/html/19970819-3275.html

Guidance for Language Use by Employees inthe Department of Veterans Affairs;

http://www.diversitv.va.gov/policy/files/language use.pdf

Office of Special Counsel Whistleblower Disclosures:

http://www.osc.gov/wbdisc.htm

Whistleblower Rights and Protection: http://www.diversity.va.gov/whistleblower.a x

Filing Whistleblower Disclosures: http://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/default.asp
132 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

VA Whistleblower Protection Ombudsman Program:

http://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/whistleblower-protection.asp

.OSC Pamphlet Whistleblower Rights and Protections: http://www.osc.fv/outjch. m

OSC Prohibited Personnel Practices: https://osc.gov/ppp

Secretary's EEO, Diversity, No FEAR and Whistleblower Rights & Protection P icy

Statement: http://www.diversity.va.gov/policy/statement.aspx

VA Workplace Alternative Dispute Resolution:

http://www1.va.gov/adr/workplaceADR.asp

VA Policy on Employee and Management Relations, Directive 5021:

http://www.va.gov/vapubs/search_acti on.cfm?dType=1

Violence intheWorkplace:

http://www.va.govNASAFETY/Dasholetters/AllVAEmployeesAndVolunterslett..pdf
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 133

CONTACTS

EEOC: http://www.eeoc.gov/

EEOC:

http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publication

s MSPB: http://www.mspb.gov/

U.S. Office of Special Counsel:https://osc.gov/

VA's Office of Occupational Safety and Health:

http://www.va.gov/vasafety

VA's Office of Diversity and Inclusion:

www.diversity.va.gov VA's Office of Resolution

Management: www.va.gov/orm VA's Employee

Relations: www.va.gov/ohrm

VA's Office of Labor-Management Relations: http://www1

.va.gov/lmr VA's Section 508 Office:

http://www.section508.va.gov/index.asp

VA's Office of Inspector General:http://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/default.asp
134 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

No FEAR Report
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 135

Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to the no FEAR Act

Internal Compliant Activity

VA-Wide

29 CFR §1614.704(a) - © 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Complaint Activity

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Number of Complaints Filed in FY 1614.704(a) 2199 2369 2347 2047 2139 2397

Number of Complainants 1614.704(b) 2083 2198 2165 1934 2013 2280

Repeat Filers 1614.704(c) 116 147 154 99 115 107

29 CFR §1614.704(d) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Complaints by Basis Previous Fiscal Year Data 2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Race 1566 873 873 721 787 891

Color 130 67 71 55 101 114

Religion 121 58 83 73 58 73

Reprisal 1767 869 923 865 919 1040

Sex 1153 609 607 530 593 699

National Origin 347 187 207 166 160 184

Equal Pay Act 12 6 9 11 20 15

Age 1042 590 578 494 522 572

Disability 1219 659 666 586 635 766

Other 0 0 0 0 0 0

Non-EEO
136 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

29 CFR §1614.704(e) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Complaints by Issue Previous Fiscal Year Data 2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Appointment/Hire 79 108 115 66 63 78

Assignment of Duties 154 131 128 101 132 237

Awards 32 18 20 18 21 13

Conversion to Full-time 1 1 1 0 3 1

Disciplinary Action 342 350 410 305 346 414

Demotion 11 15 23 15 15 14

Reprimand 59 57 59 58 61 68

Suspension 87 103 121 101 89 127

Removal 56 69 66 43 54 42

Other 129 106 141 88 127 163

Duty Hours 65 30 53 49 50 94

Evaluation Appraisal 146 171 182 161 150 223

Examination/Test 2 0 1 0 1 2

Harassment 1734 1101 1175 1058 1163 1409

Non-Sexual 1661 1019 1111 984 1078 1312

Sexual 73 82 64 74 85 97

Medical Examination 14 6 9 7 7 8

Pay (Including Overtime) 87 97 75 100 128 135

Promotion/Non-Selection 440 393 423 343 385 390

Reassignment 88 77 80 77 82 101

Denied

Directed

Reasonable Accommodation 131 172 170 186 240 307

Reinstatement 3 1 0 0 1 0

Retirement 30 31 24 22 26 35

Termination 273 225 174 130 161 179

Terms/Conditions of Employment 48 44 8 33 41 47

Time and Attendance 171 153 170 153 194 272
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 137

29 CFR §1614.704(f)

Processing Time "...post the average length of time it takes to 

complete each step of the process for every complaint that is 

pending during any time of the then fiscal year..."

Previous Fiscal Year Data Num. Ave. 

Days

Num. Ave. 

Days Num. Ave.Days Num. Ave.Days Num. Ave.Days Num. Ave.Days 2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

All complaints pending in Investigative Stage 1614.704 

(f) (1) 571 116.5 564 114.9 751 124.6 818 158.2 634 125.1 938 142.4

All complaints pending in Final Agency Action Stage 268 500.6 317 503.3 290 511.6 213 535.3 311 478.1 208 665.3

All complaints pending in which Hearing was not 

requested

1614.704 

(f) (2) 261 483.7 301 472.6 276 494.7 197 507.0 298 468.8 195 654.7

Time in Investigation Stage 261 181.5 301 180.3 276 168.3 197 207.2 298 203.3 195 196.4

Time to issue Final Agency Action 506 *120 465 *125 527 *181 515 125 523 136 659 139

All complaints pending in which a Hearing was 

requested

1614.704 

(f) (3) 1367 554.3 1435 592.4 1521 622.2 1683 714.7 2180 722.4 2387 832.1

Time in Investigation Stage 1367 181.8 1435 183.0 1521 183.2 1683 201.8 2180 206.2 2387 204.4

Time to issue Final Agency Action 365 14 439 15 399 13 320 14 287 17 266 10

29 CFR §1614.704(g) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Complaints Dismissed by Agency Pursuant to 

1614.107(a) Previous Fiscal Year Data 2015

Training 63 69 72 49 60 85

Other 411 311 317 237 277 301
138 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Total Complaints Dismissed by Agency 418 556 423 345 283 291

Average days pending prior to dismissal

48.74 49.3 57.3 61.4 58.0 51.9

29 CFR §1614.704(h) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

2015

Complaints Withdrawn by Complainants

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Total Complaints Withdrawn by Complainants 178 203 222 62 179 143

29 CFR §1614.704(i) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Total Final Agency Actions Finding Discrimination

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Total Number Findings 704(h)(1) 33 100 33 1 41 100% 36 100% 31 100% 33 100%

Without Hearing 704(h)(2) 10 30% 10 30% 15 37% 20 56% 15 48% 21 64%

With Hearing 704(h)(3) 23 70% 23 70% 26 63% 16 44% 16 52% 12 36%

29 CFR §1614.704(j) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Findings of Discrimination Rendered by Basis

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Total Number Findings 704(j)(1) 33 1 33 100% 41 100% 36 100% 31 100% 33 100%

Race 6 18% 3 9% 3 7% 4 11% 7 23% 8 24%

Color 1 3% 1 3% 1 2% 1 3%

Religion 0 0% 1 3% 2 6% 1 3%

Reprisal 14 42% 14 42% 15 37% 13 36% 14 45% 15 45%

Sex 8 24% 6 18% 10 24% 7 19% 5 16% 5 15%

National Origin 2 6% 2 6% 1 3% 1 3%

Equal Pay Act 0 0%

Age 5 15% 2 6% 3 7% 1 3% 2 6% 2 6%

Disability 7 21% 11 33% 19 46% 9 25% 12 39% 9 27%

Non-EEO 0 0%
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 139

29 CFR §1614.704(j) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Findings of Discrimination Rendered by Basis

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Number Findings Rendered 23 70% 23 70% 26 63% 16 44% 16 100% 12 100%

After Hearing 704(j)(3)

Race 5 83% 3 100% 2 67% 2 50% 3 19% 6 50%

Color 1 100% 1 100% 1 100% 1 6%

Religion 0 0% 1 50%

Reprisal 8 57% 11 79% 12 75% 5 38% 7 44% 8 67%

Sex 4 50% 5 83% 7 70% 4 57% 3 19% 2 17%

National Origin 2 100% 1 50%

Equal Pay Act 0 0%

Age 4 80% 2 100% 2 67% 1 100% 1 6% 2 17%

Disability 5 71% 4 36% 13 62% 2 22% 8 50% 3 25%

Non-EEO 0 0%

29 CFR §1614.704(j) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Findings of Discrimination Rendered by Basis

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
140 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Total Number Findings 704(j)(1) 33 100% 33 100% 41 100% 36 100% 31 100% 33 100%

Number Findings Rendered Without Hearing 

704(j)(2)

10

30%

10

70%

15 37% 20 56% 15 100% 21 100%

Race 1 17% 1 33% 2 50% 4 27% 3 14%

Color 0 0%

Religion 0 0% 1 100% 1 50% 1 5%

Reprisal 6 43% 3 21% 4 25% 8 62% 7 47% 7 33%

Sex 4 50% 1 17% 3 30% 3 43% 2 13% 3 14%

National Origin 0 0% 1 50% 1 7% 1 5%

Equal Pay Act 0 0%

Age 1 20% 1 33% 1 7%

Disability 2 29% 7 64% 8 38% 7 78% 4 27% 6 29%

Non-EEO 0 0%

29 CFR §1614.704(k) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Findings of Discrimination Rendered by Issue

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Total Number Findings 704(k)(1) 33 100% 33 100% 41 100% 36 100% 31 100% 33 100%

Appointment/Hire 1 3% 2 5% 1 3%

Assignment of Duties 3 9% 2 6% 1 2% 1 3% 2 6%

Awards 1 3% 1 3% 1 2% 1 3%

Conversion to Full-time 0 0% 1 3% 1 3%

Disciplinary Action 0 0% 2 6%

Demotion 0 0% 1 3% 1 3%

Reprimand 0 0% 1 2% 2 6%

Suspension 3 9% 5 15% 1 3% 2 6%

Removal 0 0% 1 2% 1 3% 1 3%

Other 0 0% 1 3% 1 2% 1 3%

Duty Hours 0 0% 1 3% 1 3% 2 6%

Evaluation Appraisal 2 6% 2 6% 2 5% 1 3% 1 3% 7 21%

Examination/Test 0 0%

Harassment 0 0% 12 33% 11 35% 11 33%

Non-Sexual 5 15% 4 12% 6 15% 6 17% 9 29% 10 30%
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 141

Sexual 4 12% 3 9% 4 10% 6 17% 2 6% 2 6%

Medical Examination 0 0% 2 6% 1 2%

Pay (Including Overtime) 0 0% 1 3% 2 6% 3 9%

Promotion/Non-Selection 12 36% 6 18% 8 20% 3 8% 3 10% 3 9%

Reassignment 0 0% 1 3%

Denied 1 3% 1 3% 1 3%

Directed 1 3% 2 5% 3 10% 1 3%

Reasonable Accommodation 3 9% 8 24% 10 24% 10 28% 10 32% 5 15%

Reinstatement 1 3%

Retirement 0 0%

Termination 4 12% 3 9% 2 5% 4 11% 4 13% 2 6%

Terms/Conditions of Employment 1 3% 2 6%

Time and Attendance 1 3% 2 6% 2 5% 1 3% 1 3%

Training 0 0% 1 3%

Other 8 24% 4 12% 7 17% 4 11% 6 19% 3 9%

29 CFR §1614.704(k) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Findings of Discrimination Rendered by Issue

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Findings After Hearing 704(k)(3) 23 100% 23 70% 26 63% 36 100% 16 100% 12 100%

Appointment/Hire 1 100% 1 100%

Assignment of Duties 3 100% 1 50% 1 100% 2 17%

Awards 1 100% 1 100% 1 100% 1 6%

Conversion to Full-time 0 0% 1 100%

Disciplinary Action 0 0% 2 100%

Demotion 0 0 1 1

Reprimand 0 0% 1 100%

Suspension 2 67% 4 80% 1 100% 1 8%

Removal 0 0% 1 100% 1 100%

Other 0 0% 1 100% 1 8%

Duty Hours 0 0% 1 100% 1 6% 1 8%

Evaluation Appraisal 2 100% 2 100% 2 100% 1 6% 7 58%

Examination/Test 0 0%

Harassment 0 0% 5 42% 6 38% 7 58%

Non-Sexual 2 40% 3 75% 5 83% 2 33% 6 38% 7 58%
142 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

Sexual 0 0% 2 67% 2 50% 3 50%

Medical Examination 0 0% 1 50% 1 100%

Pay (Including Overtime) 0 0% 2 100% 1 8%

Promotion/Non-Selection 12 100% 6 100% 6 75% 3 100% 2 13% 2 17%

Reassignment 0 0%

Denied 1 100

Directed 0 0% 1 50% 1 6% 1 8%

Reasonable Accommodation 1 33% 3 38% 4 40% 2 20% 6 38% 2 17%

Reinstatement 1 100%

Retirement 0 0%

Termination 0 0% 2 67% 1 50% 3 75% 2 13%

Terms/Conditions of Employment 1 25% 1 8%

Time and Attendance 1 100% 2 100% 2 100% 1 6%

Training 0 0% 1 8%

Other 5 63% 2 50% 4 57% 1 25% 1 8%

29 CFR §1614.704(k) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Findings of Discrimination Rendered by Issue

Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

# % # % # % # % # % # %

Total Number Findings 704(k)(1) 33 100% 33 100% 41 100% 36 100% 31 100% 33 100%

Findings Without Hearing 704(k)(2) 10 30% 10 30% 15 37% 20 56% 15 100% 21 100%

Appointment/Hire

0 0% 2 100%

Assignment of Duties 0 0% 1 50% 1 100%

Awards 0 0%

Conversion to Full-time 0 0% 1 5%

Disciplinary Action 0 0%

Demotion 0 0% 1 5%

Reprimand 0 0% 2 10%

Suspension 1 33% 1 20% 1 5%

Removal 0 0% 1 7%

Other 0 0% 1 100%

Duty Hours 0 0% 1 5%

Evaluation Appraisal 0 0% 1 100%
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 143

Examination/Test 0 0%

Harassment 0 0% 7 58% 6 29%

Non-Sexual 3 60% 1 25% 1 17% 4 67% 4 27% 4 19%

Sexual 4 100% 1 33% 2 50% 3 50% 2 13% 2 10%

Medical Examination 0 0% 1 50%

Pay (Including Overtime) 0 0% 1 100% 2 10%

Promotion/Non-Selection 0 0% 2 25% 1 7% 1 5%

Reassignment 0 0% 1 100%

Denied 0 0% 1 5%

Directed 1 100% 1 50% 1 100% 2 13%

Reasonable Accommodation 2 67% 5 63% 6 60% 8 80% 4 27% 3 14%

Reinstatement 0 0%

Retirement 0 0%

Termination 0 0% 1 33% 1 50% 1 25% 2 13% 2 10%

Terms/Conditions of Employment 3 75% 1 5%

Time and Attendance 0 0% 1 5%

Training 0 0%

Other 3 37% 2 50% 3 43% 3 75% 6 40% 2 10%

29 CFR §1614.704(l) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Complaints Pending From Previous Fiscal Years by 

Status Previous Fiscal Year Data

2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Total complaints from previous Fiscal Years 704(l)(1) 1079 1203 1325 1590 1930 2429

Total Complainants 704(l)(2) 969 1078 113 1403 1696 2106

Number complaints pending: 704(l)(3)

Investigation 2 2 7 3 13 11

ROI issued, pending Complainant's action 7 7 9 6 6 13

Hearing 892 946 1056 1353 1648 1946

Final Agency Action 132 157 134 111 147 129

Appeal with EEOC Office of Federal Operations 46 91 119 116 116 330

29 CFR §1614.704(m) 29 CFR §1614.705 Comparative Data

Complaint Investigations Previous Fiscal Year Data 2015
144 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Number Pending Completion of Investigation 571 565 750 817 634 938

Pending Investigations Over Required Time Frames 24 15 45 180 37 109
U.S Department of Veterans Affairs 145
146 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

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