WHICH 

LANE ARE

YOU IN? 

When Should I Use This Lane?

Equal 

Employment

Opportunity (EEO) 

Complaint Process

When you suspect or believe that you 

have been treated negatively because of your membership in a 

protected group or because 

of retaliation for prior EEO 

activity and you want 

to obtain relief to 

correct the 

effects of this 

treatment. Employee Relations (ER)

ER provides information about the options 

available to employees to address workplace 

issues, including informing employees of 

their rights and advising employees 

and managers of FHWA policies. 

Anti-Harassment 

Coordination Process

To ensure prompt investigation of your 

allegations of harassment based on the 

broader definition provided by FHWA 

rather than the legal 

definition, and, if the allegations 

are substantiated, to take 

prompt and effective 

action to stop the 

harassment.

Grievance 

Process

A grievance 

challenges a specific 

management decision 

about your employment on 

a basis not covered by EEO and 

not specifically excluded by the 

grievance procedure.

Departmental 

Alternative Dispute 

Resolution (ADR) Process

To reach an interest-based, 

voluntary, mutually-agreed 

upon resolution of an 

employment matter.

Reasonable 

Accommodation

To provide modification or 

adjustment to a job or the work 

environment that will enable a qualified 

applicant or employee with a disability to 

participate in the application process or to Reasonable 

perform essential job functions. Accomodation

Departmental Alternative

Dispute Resolution (ADR) Process 

Assistance from

Management

Employee Relations (ER)

Anti-Harassment 

Coordination Process 

Grievance Process

Equal Employment

Opportunity (EEO)

Assistance 

from 

Management

You can obtain assistance 

with a workplace issue that 

your manager has authority to 

address or can raise with 

higher level management 

or managers of 

other offices.

Relevant Links

Assistance from Management

Contact your supervisor

Employee Relations (ER)

HR Services Directory: http://staffnet.fhwa.dot.gov/

had/697hpt.htm#content

HAHR Home: http://staffnet.fhwa.dot.gov/hr/

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Complaint Process

EEO Counseling: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/civilrights/

programs/eeo/

Anti-Harassment Coordination Process

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/civilrights/programs/anti-harassment/

Reasonable Accommodation

https://www.transportation.gov/civil-rights/civilrights-awareness-enforcement/procedures-processingreasonable-accommodation

Grievance Process

The grievance procedure is found at: http://staffnet.

fhwa.dot.gov/hr/regulations/handbook/docs/GrievanceProcedures.pdf

Departmental Alternative Dispute 

Resolution (ADR) Process

Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution: 

https://www.transportation.gov/CADR
Which Lane Are You In?

Note: A * indicates that there is a mandatory reporting requirement for an individual to report allegations of harassment to the Anti-Harassment Coordinator. This mandatory reporting requirement is for Supervisors, Human Resources Staff, the EEO Program Manager, and EEO Counselors. 

Assistance from Management Employee Relations (ER) Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Complaint Process

Anti-Harassment 

Coordination Process

Reasonable 

Accommodation Grievance Process

Departmental 

Alternative Dispute 

Resolution (ADR) 

Process

What is the 

purpose of this 

lane?

You can obtain assistance with a 

workplace issue that your manager has 

authority to address or can raise with 

higher level management or managers 

of other offices. 

ER provides information about the 

options available to employees to 

address workplace issues, including 

informing employees of their rights and 

advising employees and managers of 

FHWA policies.

To provide relief from discrimination on the basis of race, 

color, national origin, age, disability, religion, genetic 

information, sex (including sexual orientation, gender 

identity, and pregnancy), or reprisal based on prior EEO 

activity. 

To ensure prompt investigation of your 

allegations of harassment based on the 

broader definition provided by FHWA 

rather than the legal definition, and, if the 

allegations are substantiated, to take prompt 

and effective action to stop the harassment. 

To provide modification or adjustment 

to a job or the work environment 

that will enable a qualified applicant 

or employee with a disability to 

participate in the application process 

or to perform essential job functions.

A grievance challenges a specific 

management decision about your 

employment on a basis not covered 

by EEO and not specifically excluded 

by the grievance procedure. 

To reach an interestbased, voluntary, 

mutually-agreed 

upon resolution of an 

employment matter.

What help or relief 

is available from 

this process?

Relief may include anything that is 

within management’s authority and 

not precluded by policy or budget 

constraints. 

You can receive information about FHWA 

policies, procedures, and employee 

benefits; information about the pros and 

cons of various methods of resolving 

workplace issues; information about your 

rights as an employee; and/or assistance 

facilitating discussions between the 

employee and management. 

Relief is intended to “make you whole” for harm to you 

caused by discrimination or reprisal. This can include 

monetary relief, reversal of a manager’s decision, 

discipline of a manager or co-worker, restored leave, or 

changes in your job or work assignment. 

Prompt changes to the work environment 

that stop the harassment, including 

the possibility of temporary measures 

while an inquiry into the allegations is 

conducted. 

Possible discipline or other consequences 

(such as training) for the individual(s) 

responsible for the harassment. 

Relief may include removal of 

workplace barriers so that an 

individual with a disability may be 

successful in the workplace or may 

participate in the agency’s programs 

and activities.

A grievance may result in possible 

reversal of the management 

decision contested.

Relief must be agreedupon and cannot be 

imposed, but parties 

can brainstorm as to 

their respective interests 

and try to come up with 

a solution that works 

for all.

How could my 

information be shared?

*Information you raise will be shared 

only with others who have a need to 

know to resolve the issue you raise; this 

may include other managers, witnesses,

or an alleged harasser for purposes of 

conducting an inquiry. 

* Information you raise will be shared 

with others who have a need to know 

to resolve the issue you raise; this 

may include your management and, 

if appropriate for purposes of inquiry, 

other witnesses or an alleged harasser. 

* Information you raise will only be accessed by those 

who need to know. These individuals may vary, but at 

a minimum may include the employee’s first or second

line supervisor, the responsible management official, 

legal counsel as well as the EEO Program Manager. 

This process is confidential.

Individuals that participate in this process have a right 

to anonymity at the informal (initial) stage, unless 

allegations of harassment have been raised. In these 

instances, the Anti-Harassment Coordinator will be 

contacted and informed of the allegations. 

Information you raise will only be 

accessed by those who need to know. 

The process is confidential to the extent 

consistent with conducting an inquiry of 

the facts, but is not anonymous. Inquiries 

may involve co-workers and the alleged 

harasser being questioned about their 

knowledge of what occurred. Your 

management chain will be informed.

Information you raise will only be 

accessed by those who need to 

know. These individuals may be 

the employee’s first or second line 

supervisor, the FHWA Disability 

Program Manager, an Employee 

Relations Specialist, and legal 

counsel. This process is confidential.

* Information you raise will be 

shared with others who have a need

to know or who may have relevant 

information so that the deciding 

official can make a determination 

regarding the issue you raise.

* Information you raise

will be shared with 

others who have a 

need to know in order 

to resolve the issue 

you raise. This process 

is confidential but not 

anonymous.

Is there a 

deadline to

 seek assistance?

No. No. However certain options ER may 

offer you, such as filing a grievance or 

EEO complaint, do have deadlines.

Yes. You must contact an EEO counselor within 45 

calendar days of the alleged discriminatory event or 

within 45 calendar days of learning of the alleged 

discriminatory event. 

No. No. Yes. You must file your grievance 

within 15 calendar days of the 

date of occurrence of the act 

being challenged, or within 15 

calendar days of the date on which 

the employee could have been 

reasonably expected to have first 

become aware of its occurrence.

No.

How long does 

the process take?

Responses from management may 

be immediate or may take up to a 

few months for a decision on a more 

complicated matter.

Responses to questions usually are 

answered within a few days. Facilitated 

discussions may occur over a period of a 

month or two. 

EEO counseling can conclude within 30-90 calendar 

days. Cases may be resolved during the informal process 

(usually within 60 calendar days), or may become formal, 

in which case resolution can take from 8 months to five 

years, depending on the case and whether the employee 

chooses to seek a Final Agency Decision or to litigate the 

case. 

The reasonable accommodation process 

timeframe is 25 business days. Longer 

processing times may occur if there is a 

need for ordering equipment or services 

that are not readily available or if the 

process is delayed by the employee not 

providing timely medical documentation 

if requested.

Normally, the final decision on 

the grievance is issued within 90 

calendar days of the filing of the 

grievance.

No set amount of time.

Who is 

helping you? 

Initially, you should seek assistance 

from your team leader or supervisor, 

unless these individuals are the 

alleged harasser(s), in which case you 

may bring this issue to the next higher 

individual in your chain of command. 

Ultimately, various individuals in your 

chain of command may be involved in 

providing assistance, in coordination 

with others in FHWA whose assistance 

or authority is needed.

An ER professional will assist you. A collateral duty EEO counselor who has completed 

the required training. 

Employees are encouraged to 

communicate with their first line 

supervisor when there is a need for 

accommodation. The employees 

may also reach out to the FHWA 

Disability Program Manager for 

assistance. 

A grievance is brought to the 

manager who made the decision. 

An appeal of an initial grievance 

decision is brought to the next 

senior person in the chain of 

command.

Trained ADR facilitators 

who work in or with the 

OST ADR program.

Contacts:

Talk to your manager. EEO Program Manager: 

Nikisha Bennett 

Nikisha.Bennett@dot.gov

(202) 366-3894

Within 15 business days of receipt of

the notice, the Decision-Maker indicates

whether some or all of the allegations

are substantiated, and, if any allegations

are substantiated, the plan for relief and

proposed consequences. Extensions to this

time frame may occur in certain situations. 

The Anti-Harassment Coordinator will

conduct the intake process for allegations

and will notify the Aggrieved Person

whether the allegation is accepted. If

accepted, in most cases, the matter

will move forward for inquiry to be

conducted by a neutral fact finder and

then a decision by a manager in the chain

of command of the alleged harasser in

coordination with HR.

Anti-Harassment & Equity Coordinator:

Anita Heard

Anita.Heard@dot.gov

(202) 366-1607

Disability Program Manager(s):

Elizabeth Kraszewski (202) 366-1585 

 or 

Kirsten Poston (202)366-9120

FHWA-RAassist@dot.gov

ER Team Lead: 

Lacy Muir

Lacy.Muir@dot.gov or ERAssist@dot.gov 

(202) 366-1955

Director: 

Fern Kaufman, 

Fern.Kaufman@dot.gov

(202) 366-8067

ER Team Lead: 

Lacy Muir

Lacy.Muir@dot.gov or ERAssist@dot.gov 

(202) 366-1955