ACTION PLAN FOR A

SAFE, FAIR, AND 

INCLUSIVE WORK 

ENVIRONMENT
FDIC ACTION PLAN

2

4

SUPPORT PROGRAM

Establish support program to 

help survivors remain integrated 

in the workplace and equipped 

to take advantage of professional 

development opportunities postharassment.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

3.31.2024

3

SUPPORT GROUPS

Connect victims with external 

resources such as local support 

groups specializing in sexual 

harassment support.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.15.2023

2

COUNSELING

 Enhance the free services 

currently provided by the FDIC by 

securing counselors with expertise 

related to sexual harassment and 

discrimination to address emotional 

and mental well-being.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

1.31.2024

1

HOTLINE

Establish a toll-free number staffed 

24-hour with specialized federal 

and contractor staff to discreetly 

intake reports of harassing behavior 

to ensure immediate assistance for 

individuals in distress.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

1.31.2024

Support for Victims and Survivors
FDIC ACTION PLAN

3

2

INVESTIGATION OF 

BARRIERS

Engage an Equal Employment 

Opportunity (EEO) firm to 

conduct an in-depth analysis of 

ongoing challenges in workforce 

representation, as identified in 

the Executive Summary of the 

FDIC’s Annual Equal Employment 

Opportunity Program Status 

Report for Fiscal Year 2022. In 

accordance with Equal Employment 

Opportunity Commission 

Management Directive 715, the firm 

will conduct Barrier Analysis 

Step Two - Investigate to Pinpoint 

Actual Barriers, assist the FDIC 

in implementing

Step Three - Eliminate Barriers, and 

recommend a plan to implement

Step Four - Plan Assessment. 

Results will be shared with 

employees.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.31.2024

1

THIRD PARTY REVIEW

 A Special Committee of the FDIC 

Board will conduct an independent, 

third party review of the FDIC’s 

workplace culture and response 

to allegations of harassment and 

misconduct.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

2.29.2024

Prompt Investigation, 

Identification, and Correction 

of Current Problems
FDIC ACTION PLAN

4

4

COMPENSATION 

PRACTICES

Engage an EEO firm to conduct a 

review of performance-based cash 

awards and retention bonuses 

to determine if discriminatory 

practices exist. If any discriminatory 

practices exist, the FDIC will take 

prompt corrective action to address 

and remedy the identified harm, 

which may include compensatory 

damages.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.31.2024

3

PROMPT CORRECTIVE 

ACTION

 If the analysis identifies a barrier 

that adversely affected a subset of 

employees, the FDIC will promptly 

take corrective action to address 

and remedy the identified harm, 

which may include compensatory 

damages in cases involving 

discrimination.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

Ongoing
FDIC ACTION PLAN

5

1

CONSEQUENCES

 Ensure consequences for 

individuals found liable of sexual 

harassment align with the 

seriousness of the misconduct.

 PROJECTED COMPLETION

Ongoing

3

NO ENTRY FOR HARASSER

 To the extent legally supportable 

and feasible, implement policies 

to prohibit hiring those who have 

previously engaged in sexual 

harassment or other serious 

misconduct (including procedures 

to ensure due diligence in hiring), or 

establish procedures to safeguard 

employees if the law prohibits 

such actions.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

7.31.2024

2

TABLE OF PENALTIES

 Consider expanding the use of 

tables of penalties or other tools 

or framework to ensure that 

disciplinary action is consistently 

applied for like or similar 

misconduct.

 PROJECTED COMPLETION

7.31.2024

Repercussions for Harasser
FDIC ACTION PLAN

6

4

REMOVE BONUS 

OPPORTUNITY

 Update policies to prohibit 

the payment of bonuses to any 

individual found to have committed 

sexual harassment and to delay 

bonuses for any employee being 

investigated for sexual harassment 

or other serious misconduct, until 

they are cleared of any wrongdoing. 

Determine whether other actions are 

appropriate for individuals found to 

have engaged in sexual harassment 

(e.g., demotion, restricting 

promotion opportunities). 

PROJECTED COMPLETION

6.30.2024

5

RISK ASSESSMENT

Assess whether any aversion to risk, 

including litigation risk, associated 

with taking adverse personnel 

actions unduly impacts addressing 

sexual harassment or other serious 

misconduct in a manner that aligns 

with organizational values.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

4.30.2024
FDIC ACTION PLAN

7

4

TRACKING SYSTEMS

Enhance the centralized tracking 

system for monitoring sexual 

harassment claims to provide 

the agency with better data on 

the scope and nature of sexual 

harassment claims and improve 

decision making around how to 

best prevent and address sexual 

harassment.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

2.29.2024

3

DIVERSITY AND 

INCLUSION EXECUTIVE 

ADVISORY COUNCIL (EAC)

Hold special meetings for the EEO 

firm that conducts the barrier 

analysis discussed above to present 

to EAC members, all Regional 

Directors, Chairs of Field Supervisor 

and Supervisory Examiner Councils, 

and the Executive Sponsor(s) of 

each Employee Resource Group. 

PROJECTED COMPLETION

Ongoing

2

PERFORMANCE 

STANDARDS

 Update leadership performance 

standards to better support 

accountability for sexual 

harassment detection and 

prevention. 

PROJECTED COMPLETION

5.30.2024

Leadership Accountability

1

WITHHOLDING BONUSES

 Update applicable criteria and 

withhold bonus opportunities for 

failure to implement or follow the 

FDIC Action Plan for a Safe, Fair, and 

Inclusive Work Environment.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

7.31.2024
FDIC ACTION PLAN

8

4

GRIEVANCE POLICIES

Review grievance policies and 

examine options for extending 

timelines for processing harassment 

claims to increase time for victims 

to file a grievance for matters 

associated with sexual trauma.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

4.30.2024

3

STUDENT RESIDENCE 

CENTER (SRC)

Update policies related to SRC to 

establish a residence-specific code 

of conduct and increase monitoring 

by security guards in common 

areas. Consider implementing 

a Resident Assistant Program to 

serve as a single point of contact 

for any issues that arise amongst 

employees residing at the SRC. 

PROJECTED COMPLETION

3.31.2024

2

HARASSMENT 

COMPLAINTS

 Develop procedures and guidelines 

to prepare close-out letters to 

be issued to filers of harassment 

complaints.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

3.31.2024

1

ANTI-HARASSMENT 

DIRECTIVE

Issue revised draft directive on 

anti-harassment to include a 

more detailed definition of sexual 

harassment and provide a plain 

language explanation of existing 

anti-retaliation protections for 

individuals who report cases of 

sexual harassment or otherwise 

expose discriminatory practices

PROJECTED COMPLETION

2.29.2024

Policies, Procedures, and Operations 

Review and Enhancement
FDIC ACTION PLAN

9

7

TRAVEL POLICIES

Review travel policies to determine 

if any of these policies are 

negatively impacting the FDIC’s 

culture and environment. Develop 

needed modifications based 

on this assessment to improve 

employee’s safety and well-being, 

and retention.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.31.2024

6

EXIT SURVEYS

Seek opportunities to enhance 

all exit surveys conducted at 

the agency to better identify 

harassment as a factor in an 

employee leaving agency.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

6.30.2024

5

CODE OF CONDUCT

Review and update code of conduct 

to better reflect FDIC core values 

and expectations for diversity, 

equity, inclusion, accessibility, and 

belonging.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

5.30.2024
FDIC ACTION PLAN

10

2

NEW EMPLOYEE 

ORIENTATION

Require training on preventing and 

addressing sexual harassment at 

new employee orientation.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

Ongoing

1

SEXUAL HARASSMENT 

TRAINING

Conduct mandatory, “live” 

training on preventing and 

addressing sexual harassment 

for all employees, managers, and 

executives. Implement a process 

to regularly assess effectiveness of 

trainings and revise as needed.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.31.2024

Training Programs
FDIC ACTION PLAN

11

2

EXTERNAL 

COMMUNICATION AND 

OUTREACH STRATEGY

Develop and implement external 

communication and outreach 

strategy to communicate FDIC’s 

commitment to creating and 

maintaining a harassment and 

discrimination-free environment 

and restoring our stakeholders’ faith 

in our ability to fulfill our mission. 

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.31.2023 • And Ongoing

1

INTERNAL 

COMMUNICATION AND 

OUTREACH STRATEGY

Develop and implement internal 

communication and outreach 

strategy with the goals of informing 

employees, rebuilding trust through 

transparency, and transforming 

culture. 

PROJECTED COMPLETION

12.31.2023 • And Ongoing

Communication and Outreach 

Strategy
FDIC ACTION PLAN

12

3

EMPOWER LOCAL 

LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGE 

EMPLOYEES

 Consider providing additional 

resources to supervisors, 

Chairman’s Diversity Advisory 

Councils, and Employee Resource 

Groups to help improve culture 

within their local teams while 

ensuring alignment with overall 

FDIC goals.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

6.30.2024

2

CULTURAL ASSESSMENT 

AND CHANGE

Conduct a culture assessment on 

a periodic basis to gain insight into 

organizational dynamics, employee 

engagement, and overall work 

environment, monitor progress 

in improving culture, and identify 

areas needing improvement.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

5.30.2024

1

FEMALE RECRUITMENT 

AND RETENTION 

TASKFORCE

Create a taskforce to develop 

recommendations to address 

issues primarily impacting females 

in the workforce as described in 

the Executive Summary of the 

FDIC’s Annual Equal Employment 

Opportunity Program Status Report 

for Fiscal Year 2022. The Taskforce 

will include representation from 

Employee Resource Groups focused 

on these issues.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

1.31.2024

Cultural Transformation
FDIC ACTION PLAN

13

6

FIELD, REGIONAL AND 

HEADQUARTER REVIEWS

Conduct regular reviews of 

Field, Region, and Headquarters 

offices to ensure compliance and 

consistency with FDIC directives 

related to sexual harassment, antiharassment, and equal employment 

opportunity.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

Ongoing

5

LISTENING SESSIONS

Implement Safe Space 

Conversations Program and other 

facilitated listening sessions across 

the FDIC to foster an environment of 

open and respectful dialogue.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

Ongoing

4

AGENCY-WIDE RESOURCES

Consider expanding cadre of EEO 

counselors to include locations 

in regional offices to better 

understand local dynamics, address 

issues specific to each location, 

and provide better accessibility 

and support to employees located 

outside of Headquarters.

PROJECTED COMPLETION

7.31.2024

 FDIC will meet all bargaining obligations with NTEU.

The FDIC Board of Directors 

chartered a Special Committee 

to direct and oversee an 

independent, third-party 

review of allegations of sexual 

harassment and interpersonal 

misconduct at the FDIC and any 

management response. The 

review will evaluate the FDIC’s 

workplace culture, including any 

practices that might discourage 

or deter reports of or responses 

to sexual harassment and other 

misconduct. This Action Plan 

refers to that independent, thirdparty review but does not refer 

to other actions expected to be 

within the scope of the Special 

Committee’s work. Also, the Plan 

does not include items projected 

to be within the scope of reviews 

conducted by the Office of 

Inspector General.